I'm not weird (I'm limited edition)
by MissDiRed
Summary: Originally posted on AO3. Modern Girl in Thedas story, written light-heatedly and purely for fun. Will contain mature themes, though. Full summary and warnings inside. Re-upload due to a bug.
1. Prologue

**Summary:** She had the power, and she had the knowledge. And after years of living a dull life, she decided, well, 'fuck that, let's have some fun'. Because what's more fun than fucking around with your favorite characters from one of your favorite games? Surely not playing said game. Not when you can just snap your fingers and see them in flesh.

All while talking to your imaginary friends, weird antics, cursing everybody in Polish, and text shirts. All hail text shirts.

Very Modern Girl in Thedas. Completely weird, completely un-schematic and completely chaotic. Now with unicorns and mermaids.

 **WARNING:** This story is meant to be just plain fun and nothing else, and, under any circumstances, should NOT be taken seriously. There's a very consciously inserted Mary Sue in there.

* * *

 **Prologue, in which Herald makes a new, quite eccentric Acquaintance.**

* * *

He was falling. His great adventure, his everything; everything that he was, everything that he became - now it crumbled in hands of that... Thing. Of that monster. He just hoped that most of his comrades - the Inquisition - made it out alive. Nobody expected that monster to lead an army of Templars and demons at him. Nobody expected anything like that at all. They had closed the Breach - he had closed it - and they deserved to celebrate now! Not to be slaughtered like cattle! It didn't matter now, though. Nothing mattered anymore. It was cold, and it wasn't even the snow that was cold. At least others made it.

He made that last effort, for one last sassy remark, raised his hand... And suddenly found himself floating. That monstrosity lifted him with magic, and he dropped his sword, gasping for air. Somehow, even if he knew he had no right to feel it, it felt wrong. Like it was not supposed to happen.

"This ends now," the creature - Corypheus - rasped in its unsettling voice, raising other hand. "You were but a prawn..."

"Hands to yourself, Coryfucker!" a voice he didn't recognize sounded. It was strong, and feminine, and young, and resonating the power. He felt a hand grab his collar, and whatever spell that had him in the air lifted from him, and the creature was now surprised and angry.

"How dare you-?!" it shrieked, but didn't receive any answer. He covered his ears instinctively, as whoever saved him took a deep breath; and yelled. But it didn't sound like a yell, more like... A tune. Singing. Song resonating with magic so strongly, that creature's dragon backed, curled and shrieked, maybe in pain. Corypheus himself let out a muffled gasp and backed, gripping his head. But the voice resonated still, weakening, but strong nonetheless. He heard a thud, and a whirl, and something as if the catapult set off and shot-

"Curse you, songstress!" creature yowled, and it was gone, off on its dragon's back.

And then he was falling. And floating. He didn't remember, when the cold darkness swallowed him whole. He only remember feeling the worried tune in the singing.

~•(x)•~

When he came to his senses, he couldn't have known how much time has passed, where he was or, if he even still was. He felt warmth of the fire, small, albeit glowing. And a body, sitting right next to him, shivering and cursing in language he didn't quite recognize. He groaned, bringing his hand to his face only to realize just how sore his body was, and groaned again. The person by him shifted, their muttering silenced instantly, and he could almost feel the gaze on him. Something made him not want to open his eyes. To look, to even move. Maker, it hurt. Bruises, perhaps cracked bones. It wasn't difficult to breathe, but it hurt.

"You must feel like shit, don't you?" a voice asked, and he recognized it from before. Much, much weaker than before, but he could still feel the magic lingering atop of each word. The voice was happy, yet concerned, and raspy, yet girly, and young, and fresh.

"Mhm," he managed to utter, still unwilling to open his eyes or move. Speaking proved to be more painful than breathing. "Where..."

"We're somewhere... Somewhere under Haven," voice answered helpfully. "Coryfucker ran off on his lizard, and we set off the avalanche. whole town in buried under the snow, and so are we. There is a path forward, though, but I need you in state more suitable to fight than this."

"Mhm," he agreed. So, he was alive, but the people? "Every...one?"

"Whoever survived the assault and made it to the Chantry safely left the town," voice answered again, happy to help. "They didn't look for you, though. Couldn't. Too big threat, with enemy forces. Not to mention the blizzard raging about right now."

He hummed in acknowledgement and approval.

"You weren't out for long," voice continued. He was grateful for the explanation, he hadn't much strength to speak and ask. "I barely managed to set up that pathetic excuse of a camp and do some first aid to your wounds. I'm no doctor, though, so I'd rather see a real medic if I were you. When we reach everyone, that is."

"Thank you," he uttered, feeling better with every passing while.

"Sit up," voice demanded. "I know it hurts, but you need something warm and energetic to eat, or you'll pass out on me. I don't feel like carrying you, man, you're, like, twice my weight, if not more."

He complied, and opened his eyes slowly. Wherever they were in now was dark, and lit only by the small, crude fireplace. He laid on some dry hay, and was covered by a fabric he didn't recognize. It was a coat, and it was warm, although unlike anything he seen before. He looked slightly up, and nearly skipped a heartbeat. It was a she, alright. Every piece of a she. But looking like anyone he's ever seen in his whole life.

Her hair was cut very short, and painted crimson reflecting the flames. There were orange streaks in her hair, too, longer, reaching below her chin unlike rest of the hair. Her eyes glowed with fire they reflected, but he was willing to bet they were brown. She had her lower lip pierced with two circles, and her eyebrows on each side. She wore an earring with white feather attached to it, and had her eyelashes blackened. She wore a skin-colored, seemingly woolen cap on her head, black, long-sleeved shirt, black, loose pants and skin-colored, slightly heeled shoes. She was holding strange, rectangular, glowing item in her hand. He could also see that her skin was tattooed - it started on outer side of the palm, and reached up to her neck, almost onto her face. He was willing to bet she had them on whole length of both of her hands. There was something white on her shirt, letters, but he was too weak, and didn't see whole thing, to read it.

"I don't look... Well, I don't look normal, do I?" girl giggled, noticing his staring. He shook his head gently, as much as he could. "Well, that's quite obvious, given I'm from completely different world."  
He wanted to ask. He really did. But he was too weak to sit up, and speaking would drain him as well. He figured he would just ask her later.

"Here, have this," she said, handing him a bottle. It was made of a material he never seen before. It was like glass, but much thinner, and softer, and yet sturdy. The liquid in it, pink, was slightly warm.

"Don't eye it like it's going to kill you, dummy. It's just strawberry-flavored milk," she giggled cheerfully, grabbing another bottle herself. It was exactly the same, except it was half-emptied. She opened it (his own bottle wasn't closed) and emptied the rest at one go. That encouraged him, a bit. Well, she wasn't helping just to kill him, wasn't she? That would make absolutely no sense whatsoever. So he sniffed the drink - it smelled like strawberries, alright - and took a sip. And honestly? This was one of best decisions he ever made in his life. He drank it in small gulps, and not even because his throat ached, but because it was so good and he wanted to taste it. It took him a longer while, but he was already feeling much better. Good enough to talk, that is.

"Thank you," he uttered, wiping his lips.

"Nah," she shrugged. "There's nothing to thank me for. Yet."

"But you fended off Corypheus. And saved me!" he argued, but immediately regretted raising his voice. It hurt.

"Fended off," she hissed. "Which means Coryfucker is, sadly, still alive. The state of things I seek to change. Than you can thank me. Assuming I'll take active part in bringing that fanatic down."

"Fanatic?" he asked.

"You talked to him, you should know," she shrugged. "Dude thinks he's fit to be a god. Nobody is fit to be a god, if you ask me. No human, at least, and, boy, was he one. Once. Before he became darkspawn, that is. Easily corruptible, and he's already corrupted. Even if you have great power, you need great friends to keep you rooted down so you won't use it to take over the world."

"You speak with wisdom," he admitted, and she snorted. And then laughed.

"Wisdom? Dude, please, I'm just a dumb young adult who barely grew up, and accordingly to law only, don't mind me blabbering. I'm Annie by the way."

Now, he felt stupid. They started a philosophical conversation without even exchanging the names. And the lady had to do it first. What a shame, especially to him, man supposedly raised to have manners.

"I am Maxwell. Maxwell Trevelyan," he introduced himself, and eyed an extended hand for a while, before shaking it. She had surprisingly strong grip.

"Well, Max. You don't mind me calling you Max, do you?" she eyed him, rummaging through black, leathery sack that looked as otherwordly as she herself. He shook his head, and she hummed in acknowledgement. "So, we should gather as much strength as we can. And wait the blizzard out, so, here. I have lot of sweet stuff with me most of the time, they give you the biggest energy boost."  
She handed him a tray of what looked like cookies. Not plain, with brown dots on them. He figured it must've been chocolate. It was rare to see it, because it's expensiveness made it rare treat even for nobles. But one thing didn't seem right. She said sweets, and chocolate was bitter. He took the cookie nonetheless, though, because the drink was delicious, so the cookie could be as well.  
And delicious it was. He devoured whole pack of nine out of dozen cookies, to Annie's utter amazement.

"I..." he gasped. "I apologize. I shouldn't have..."

"It's alright, Max," she said, raising her hand, and pulled another package out of her sack. "You just danced with the death. Quite literally, mind you. And you fell down hard, even if I softened the impact. And all I did was fooling around, so eat up. I have plenty."

"I wouldn't call saving my life fooling around."

"Shut up and eat while there's stuff left to eat."

That encouraged him. This time cookies were different - instead of having pieces of chocolate in them, they seemed to be coated with it. Those, too, proved to be absolutely delicious. Then, they sat in relative silence, Annie gazing into the shining object she held, touching it, albeit refusing to explain what it was or how it worked, except for 'not magic'. She claimed to explain it all once they reached relatively safer place. Where Inquisition forces could station, and grow... Funny. He had to admit that, for a while, he was certain she was implying a stronghold. But that was impossible, was it? They had no stronghold.

"Creature… Corypheus," Max started after a while. "It – he – called you a songstress. What did he mean?" he asked, eyeing the girl. Annie flinched visibly.

"The thing is, he isn't supposed to know that," she answered honestly. "This is my second time ever visiting this world, and I've neither interacted with him, nor revealed this name to anyone. That worries me. A lot," she admitted, looking at the fire.

"Why?" Max inquired.

"Because that most likely means that he's acquaintances with someone who knows about me. And nobody should really know me. Nobody actually does as far as I know. Not from me at least. Especially not from this world. And I don't even have any suspects or trails. I don't know if it's more worrying or unsettling," she shivered. "Both, I think."

"But he didn't seem to pose a threat to you," Max said, looking into the burning embers.

"The more he knows, the more dangerous he becomes," Annie answered. "If he knows my powers, he can protect himself from it. To a degree, but can. And can deal a blow of his own."

Maybe he shouldn't, but something made Maxwell believe, that this exceptionally odd girl was somewhat an angel sent from the heavens to protect him. Funny, given that heavens were, once again, split apart in hue of green. Nevertheless, something made him believe that she was not an easy opponent to fight. That this seemingly lithe frame held power beyond imagination; power that even Corypheus feared. Maybe he shouldn't. He didn't even know her, and for all he knew at all, she could've been a demon with a false safety aura.

She could've even been just a daydream of his fatigued mind.

"Sleep," Annie inquired. "I'll wake you up in an hour or two, you need to rest a bit."

He complied without a word.

~•(x)•~

He awoke – was startled out of the Fade, as much as he could be in it these crooked times – by a strange, yet loud, yowling sound. He shot up with a gasp, sitting up faster than he should, but didn't even really flinch. The itching of his sore muscles, it had appeared, magically vanished, mostly. Only his bones still felt sore, and breathing hurt a bit.

What got his attention when the yowling stopped, was an amused chuckle.

"Sweet Andraste, what was that?" he gasped, looking at Annie, who kept waving the strange rectangular glowing object in her hand. The same one from before.

"That was an alarm clock," she answered. "I tried talking to you, and nudging you, but you were sleeping like a bear. So, I had to use my last resort."

"That thing made that horrendous noise?" he questioned, and Annie just nodded, slowly standing. Her body was stiff, it seemed, but so was his.

"Yup," Annie answered. "You know, you're not the only heavy-sleeper on the house. Sometimes, which happen most of the time, this is the only thing capable of waking me up."

"Why would you use that?" Max asked, cocking his head like a curious puppy. "What is so important?"

"School," she answered. "Don't try to understand, my world is significantly different than yours."

"Oh. May I ask though, what are you studying?"

"Art," Annie said, shrugging. "I'm studying art. I aspire to be a digital artist and a painter, as much as I know that first one tells you nothing. Nevertheless, move your sorry ass. We have places to reach and people to find."

Oh, right, the Inquisition. But that thing that yowled-

"It's a phone," Annie supplied, catching him eyeing the object that stopped glowing and went black. He could swear… "And no, it's not magic. Magic doesn't even exist in my world."

"Then how…?"

"Exception confirms the rule," she answered, then stopped, moving her head to the right as if she listened to someone. And then she laughed. "Dia, you dork," she managed between the laughs.

"Dia?" Maxwell asked, cocking his head, confused.

"Oh, don't mind me, just talking to my imaginary friend."

"Is this normal for people from your world?"

"Wh- Gosh, no. No, it isn't. 's only me as far as I'm concerned. Maybe I'll explain. One day."

"You remind me of Sera," Max admitted after a while, and Annie rolled her eyes.

"I'm not even an elf, and definitely not blonde. And sure as hell can't shot from a bow- And please, Max, I don't act like lunatic five-year-old. Or do I?"

"You know about Sera," Max said, more to himself, answered with a nod. "I should have expected that. Is there something you don't know?"

"Dunno, but surely there are things I can forget," she shrugged. "Nothing I can't look up, though," she waved the now-dim object – phone – before tucking it into her pocket. "Up, Max, we're going."

So he stood up and followed, for the lack of anything better to do. It's not like he was going to stay here – he had to find others, rejoin them, and then plan out their another move. Closing Breach for the second time won't be as easy as it was at first, he was certain. But… Looking at Annie, that weird, cheerful girl beaming with joy in this frozen hell, he couldn't really care. It felt possible, within reach. Why he trusted her, he didn't know. He just did. Maybe because of her personality, cheerful and bubbly, slightly childish, yet mature and trustworthy.

She helped him up with an ease, and they set off.

Solas will be all over her, Max suddenly realized. Everything about her – speech, looks, movements, aura – screamed 'otherwordly' at the top of their lungs. Solas loved everything that wasn't from this world; or he wouldn't be so interested in fade. Would he?

"A penny for your thoughts?" Annie's voice cut through his wondering.

"I- Uh. What?" firstly, he didn't even know what a 'penny' was.

"I asked what are you thinking about so hard," Annie snorted.

"Oh. Uh. I- Well. Solas will absolutely love you, and all that I'm-from-other-world thing about you," he answered honestly, and Annie rolled her eyes.

"Maybe, he will," she agreed. "But firstly, he'll have to remove that stick from his ass and see something more than the tip of his nose."

Maxwell laughed. He didn't even care for the cold fire that burned his lungs, at the dull ache of his throat and ribs. She was so right about Solas, he couldn't help it. She laughed with him too, anyway.

~•(x)•~

They continued through some kind of ruined tunnels, and he didn't even know where they were. Annie was the one navigating, and so far they didn't get lost, yet. Well, it was pretty hard to get lost, to be honest – there was the only way that was forward, and there were no side roads at all. So either they would find a way out, or they would remain there. Ruin turned into a cave soon enough – cave with icicles instead of stone formations, often with ice on the walls and ground.

Soon enough they encountered enemies. Some minor wraiths, no big deal. But his mark started pulsating; not exactly unpleasant feeling. Weird, though. So he shot his hand forward and-

And actually created a rift. Small, but it sucked wraiths right in. And then disappeared, as if it wasn't there in the first place. It was tiresome. But there was a way out further on, and Annie tugged his hand. So he moved forward. They moved forward.

It was white, and dark, and cold – the blizzard hasn't fully calmed yet, and the wind was blowing. Annie instantly shivered, cursing and covering herself more with that big black clothing she gave him as cover earlier, muttering something like 'should've brought a winter jacket'. Right outside there was a half-buried cart. She tugged him again, in cart's direction and then forward, shielding her eyes from the wind with one hand, and desperately holding to him with the other, pressing against his side as much as she could. Funny, he didn't even notice her getting close in the first place. But she gave as little warmth as she had in this weather, and he was more than happy to accept it, partly shielding her from the wind in return.

She led him through the white, and through the wind, in absolute minimal sight range.

"You sure you know the way?" he asked, shivering.

"Yes," she hissed, clutching to him even more. "Shit, it's so fucking cold out here-"

"I know," he agreed. "I know."

Wolves howled, and he couldn't even tell where and how far.

Soon enough, trees came to view, but it wasn't reassuring. Not with the constant howling. When one sounded particularly close, Annie whimpered, and her brown eyes ignited blue, and blue sparks cracked around her nails, which also glowed, although dimly. He couldn't blame her, though. He would most likely be too hurt, to cold and too frightened to proceed on his own. And she feels frightened, too, so tense under his hand he doesn't know how come she hasn't collapsed yet.

But if she did, he would, too. And they would die. So she stubbornly stumbles forward, frantically looking around whenever new howl sounds. They come to a wall of stone, with a canyon between them, and a camp before them; blizzard cleared at least, but the fireplace is under the snow nevertheless. It's cold – but it's recent. Annie looks relieved, and impatient. She tugs him further, between the giant black rocks hovering above the whiteness of snow.

It's calf-deep, the white cold. Recent from the blizzard, no tracks. It's hard to walk, for both of them. They're both freezing, tired, done. He sees a camp, far off, and he collapses as Annie falls first, shivering wildly.

"There! It's him!" he hears Cullen yell.

"Thank the Maker!" and he would smile at Cassandra, if he weren't so tired.

He hears Annie's breath, so full of relief- And he slips, and it's dark, and cold.

~•(x)•~

He wakes to a sound of bickering. Argument, honestly. He opens his eyes, but doesn't want to move. He's safely cocooned with at least few blankets, lying on a makeshift hammock. He looks to his side, and there's Mother Giselle, with bundle of blankets latched onto her side.

"Shhh, you need rest," Mother Giselle says as soon as she notices his movement. The bundle at her side shifts and rumbles until it reveals bush of short, cherry-red hair. Annie looks at him, then at the arguing four – Cullen, Cassandra, Leliana and Josephine – and then again at him, and sighs.

"They've been at it for hours," she says, audibly unhappy about the fact. "Can't even take a nap."

"They have that luxury, thanks to you," Mother Giselle says, looking Max directly into the eye. "The enemy could not follow, and with time to doubt, we turn to blame."

"And interrupt others' rest," Annie commented, and Max couldn't help a smile. "But shit, if they continue it like this- They shouldn't fight each other. In the end, not Coryfucker, but their bickering could say bye-bye to this whole Inquisition."

She was right.

"Do we even know where Corypheus and his forces are?" he asked, and Annie shook her head fiercely.

"We don't even know where we are," she huffed, rubbing her hands.

"Which may be why, despite the forces still at his command, we don't know where he might be," Mother Giselle said.

"He sure as hell doesn't think Max' dead," Annie sighed. "Maybe he's just afraid. You know, dealing with forces I deal with, it's not easy."

"Whatever do you mean?" Mother Giselle questioned.

"He called her a songstress." Max said. "But visibly didn't expect her to meet. Maybe he went to whatever source of information he had about you and your kind?"

"If he does, the he might grid yet another attack," priestess said. "I cannot claim to know the mind of that creature."

"They're arguing about what to do next, I should-"

"No, Max," Annie cut in, hard and firm, making him quiet down instantly. "You'll only make it worse, really. They're losing their shit because of what happened. You stood, and you fell. And then you returned. From the dead. Again."

"You speak with wisdom, young one," priestess admitted, and Annie smiled. "The more the enemy is beyond us, the more miraculous your actions appear. And the more our trials seem ordained. It is hard to accept, no? What 'we' have been called to endure, what 'we', perhaps, must come to believe?"

"I didn't die, Annie," Max shook his head. "You know it – you saved me. I didn't die."

"No, you didn't," Annie agreed. "But the people know better. People know what they want to know, what they need to know at the moment. And they want you dead and risen from the dead."

"The Maker works both in the moment, and in how it is remembered," Mother Giselle added. "Can we truly know that the heavens are not with us?"

Annie snorted, but otherwise didn't comment, just shook her head.

"And Corypheus assaulting the heavens?" Max inquired.

"The Heavens, no, but the Fade? Indeed," girl huffed from under the blankets. "Magisters went into the Fade. Like, physically went in. That's not a thing you do, not when you're sane. Fade… Is a wrong place. Twisted, dark, full of all that's wrong. Who knows, maybe we should be happy that the Blight is the only souvenir they brought back from their trip."

"If this what you say is true, an Maker punished them, and now all the mankind suffers from this sin…" Mother Giselle asked. "How do you know such things, child?"

"Know your lore," she shrugged. "Although I try to not to comment on religion. You know, after dealing with my fanatically religious grandmother for last twenty years, I'm really enjoying my atheist vacation."

"But even if the shred of it is true…"

"Corypheus said he found only corruption and emptiness. No golden city. Nothing."

"Because living are not supposed to go into the Fade," Annie said.

"They are, indeed, not meant to make this journey," priestess agreed. "If he truly went there, it must've changed him without and within. Perhaps these are the lies he must heel telling himself, rather than accepting the truth. I know I could not bear such – not the scorn from the Maker."

"Mother Giselle, I just don't see how what I believe matters," Max said, sitting up. "Lies or not, he is a real, physical threat. Threat we can't match with hope alone."

He stood up and, however wobbly his walk wouldn't be, exited the tent. Annie, reluctantly leaving her blanket nest, trotted after him, still curled with what she could carry.

"Don't worry," she said. "I know the future, remember? And I know that Coryfucker will die. From your hand."

"Now you say that?" he huffed, and would be amused if not for the mood in the camp. Leliana and Josephine were sulking in the corner, Cullen was pacing around and Cassandra was pouting above the map. Nothing unexpected.

" _Shadows fall,_ " Annie sang instead of answering, " _and hope has fled_ " she was instantly joined in by Mother Giselle.

" _Steel your heart; the dawn will come_."

" _The night is long, and the path is dark; look to the sky, for one day soon,_ _t_ _he dawn will come,_ " Annie sang, looking around with expectation in her eyes.

" _The sheppard's lost_ _,_ _and his home is far,_ " Leliana sung, as other voices joined in, too. " _Keep to the stars,_ _the dawn will come_."

" _The night is long, and the path is dark; look to the sky, for one day soon,_ _t_ _he dawn will come,_ " even Cullen joined in, and Max honestly didn't expect him to sound this good. But before he knew, whole camp was singing. Whole damn camp, and he felt weird for not knowing the words. But they started kneeling before him, one after another, and he suddenly felt even weirder.

" _Bare your blade and raise it high,_ " Annie's voice was strong, and yet delicate, and he couldn't describe it in any other word than 'alluring'. Was it what meant to be a songstress? He felt magic with every word. Soothing, warm, gentle, yet daring. " _Stand your ground,_ _the dawn will come_."

" _The night is long, and the path is dark; look to the sky, for one day soon,_ _t_ _he dawn will come_."

"An army needs more than an enemy. It needs a cause," Mother Giselle said, before walking away.

"Solas wants to talk to you," Annie noted, and Max heard a huff behind them.

"With both of you, actually," elf corrected. Girl, confused, shrugged, but followed nonetheless.

Annie blocked out most of their conversation. She knew exactly what it was about, and she, honestly, couldn't wait to roam Skyhold freely, and freak people out.

"Who are you, though?" Solas said, suddenly bringing Annie's attention to himself. "You come, half-carrying the Herald, then refuse to leave his side or answer any questions at all; then you start signing, and I can feel magic seeping with each word. Not to mention your outfit and demeanor. It's just…"

"Otherwordly?" Annie snorted. "Oh well, happens. How long will it take until you reach Skyhold?"

"Uh…" elf blinked, caught off-guard by her question. "It will take a week, or so, why?"

"Well then, see you in a week," Annie shrugged. "Bye, Max. By the way, I kinda-sorta-maybe made you my map marker…"

"Map marker?" man asked, cocking his eyebrow.

"It basically means that next time I teleport into this world, I'll pop up right next to you. Possibly onto you. So if I suddenly – literally – fall on your head from the sky… Well, don't freak out."

"Uh… Okay?"

"Bye, guys!"

"Wait, I-"

"Wolfy, calm down," Annie sighed, effectively shutting Solas up. He looked at her, confused and shocked, before regaining his composure. "I'll be back. But I don't feel like travelling through frozen wasteland with you when there's warm, soft bed awaiting me at home. And a cat."

"You mean, you can travel back and forth… Just like that?" Max asked, and girl nodded fiercely. "How?"

"Don't ask questions you know answers for, it's rude" she huffed. "As you said; just like that. See ya'!"

It wasn't exactly 'just like that'. She hummed a tune, and at first, nothing happened. Then, she started glowing – actually glowing, blue – and slowly turning transparent. And then, she just cracked, and shattered like a mirror, and was gone. Only the wind still carried magic-infused song that she didn't even sang.

 _Between the here, Between the now_ _  
_ _Between the North, Between the South_ _  
_ _Between the West, Between the East_ _  
_ _Between the time, Between the place_

"You've found yourself an interesting friend," Solas commented.

"You think?" Max sighed. "It will be a pain, explaining her to… Well, everyone."

"I'm fairly certain she'll handle that herself," elf answered.

"I… You know what? You're probably right. You're right most of the time. And she… I don't know if anyone can resist this bubbly personality of hers. I surely can't," he smiled. "Although it might partially be because she directly saved my life."

"She knew the song" Solas said. "And she knew me."

"She knows everything. For some reason I'm certain of that."

~•(x)•~

Annie jumped out of the mirror, it's surface wavering like water, and sneezed nearly instantly.

"You got cold from that walk, didn't you?" a thin voice asked, and girl sighed, looking at her shoulder. A blue fairy, slightly bigger than a Barbie doll, semi-transparent, with wings like a wasp and big eyes looked at her, quite annoyed.

"Oh, the forever-caring Dia," Annie snorted. "Still can't bear me calling you an imaginary friend?"

The fairy – Dia – only made a disgusted noise, before leaping off her shoulder and into the catbed. The cat, calico beast, didn't even flinch at their arrival, or at Dia making herself comfortable against its warm, fuzzy body.

"You should take Koteh with you next time," Dia said. "They're gonna love her."

"Oh, don't you worry," Annie chuckled. "I plan on winning the pure heart of a certain Spirit of Compassion with her help."

"Sneaky little bastard, that what you are. Planned it all out already?"

"Mhm."

"Knew it. Goodnight, Anna."

"Night, Dia."


	2. Chapter One

Hi, it's me again, beating all the odds of ded computer and misbehaving laptop to deliver you my weirdest and stupidest story yet. Hope you're not fed up with me yet.

 **Doombug** \- that's why you don't take it seriously. That would be bad for your health and lore xD

 **rubyhardflames** \- thanks for pointing that out, since I honestly had no idea you do that. Writing dialogues in "sth" is weird enough as it is. Well, there are differences between Polish and English grammar and that's a fact - but I already fixed that in previous chapter, so thanks. It'll take more to work out the tense-jumping, since I quite often don't even realize I'm doing it. Getting a beta would be nice, I assume.

* * *

 **Chapter One, or how cookie your way into people's hearts.**

* * *

When the last notes of Meghan Trainor's 'No' sounded, and they posed, Annie knelt down, steadying her breath. This particular choreo was not difficult my any means, no, but they did it only two times, and the amount of mistakes they did? Well, they did more idiotic laughing than actual dancing, which deprived them of breath much more efficiently than actual dance ever would.

"Wszystko dobrze, Marcy? ( _All's good, Marcy?_ )" she asked in Polish. A girl who sat next to her nodded slightly, taking deep breaths via the inhaler. "Astma to suka, nie? ( _Asthma's such a bitch, no?_ )" another nod.

The girl – Marcy or, in fact, Marceline – had long, slightly wavy, jet-black hair and gray eyes. Her hair was also shaved off on left side. She wore quite simple gym uniform – just red sneakers, gray sweatpants and red tank top. Her nails were quite long, though, painted neon rainbow – reminder of last pajama party and a stupid dare. Looking surprisingly good, too.

"Dam radę, ( _I'll manage_ ,)" girl answered, wiping tears away from her eyes. "Bywało gorzej. ( _I've had worse._ )"

"Could you girls please not speak Polish here?" another voice cut in. The girl who interrupted was quite short, and had curly, fiery-red hair and her skintone was best described as just freckles. "Not everybody understands it, you know. And we kinda are in USA."

"Sorry," Marcy said with an accent.

"Be easy on the kid, Alex, she's been living in the USA only for three months," Annie argued.

"And you for how long?" redhead – Alex – asked. "I know you left after high school, to study arts, because your family's shit."

"Three years now," Annie answered. "But! Less talking more dancing!"

"You were pretty off last time, though," Alex noted. "Two days ago."

 _Because that was when I was in Dragon Age world, duh,_ Annie thought. _And I left you with my… Let's call it Astral Drop. Too much W.I.T.C.H. as a snort, I assume, but I still love those dorky protectors of the universe. Damn, I'm being sentimental again. Well, shit._

"Alexandra!" she called instead. "You know what? I'm an artist! Could I call myself an artist if I wasn't walking with my head in the clouds?"

 _I promise, Alex,_ Annie thought, _once I get a hang of creating them, you'll get the best clone I can manage doing. She'll be doing stuff almost as good as the original!_

"Ugh, whatever, really," Alex shrugged. "Let's do 'No' once more, then we'll see about other choreo."

"No."

"For fuck's sake, Anna!"

Annie just cackled, easily evading empty water bottle aimed at her head.

"My name is no!"

"Fuck your selfie."

"Don't you dare insult cinnamon roll that is Maxine Caulfield!" Marceline shrieked.

~•(x)•~

School – dance – Starbucks. And that's basically how decided to spend the next few days waiting for the Inquisition to reach Skyhold. So, honestly, she was just doing whatever before getting there. Although, today there was no dancing, so, instead, she headed for the library, with Koteh in basket. This was one of calmest, most patient cats Annie saw in her entire bloody life, and, being the cat person she was, she's seen many, be it during her volunteering work, or in videos, or anything else.

Dia sat beside the cat, curled up against cat's fur and sleeping. Koteh liked it there, in library. It was calm, and quiet, and people were nice. Sabrina always had a treat or two if she knew Annie would be there. And since Annie usually told her about it in advance, then she usually had a treat or two.

Sabrina herself, as Annie would put it, was graphic depiction of what people decided to be 'good girl'; a stereotypical stereotype, both inside and out. Especially out. She had doll-like face with perfect complexion, and only lightest make-up on. Her hair was blonde, pale platinum, wavy and reaching down her wais, and her eyes were blue. Brightest, the most intense blue Annie has seen in her whole life. Sabrina wore pale blue, buttoned shirt, beige skirt, pale blue wedge shoes and blue bracelet.

"Hello, Anna," she smiled politely, as Annie sat next to her, with biggest, dorkiest grin she could make. "Hello to you to, Koteh."

Koteh stuck her head out of the basked and meowed in greeting.

Annie meet Sabrina two years ago, and somehow, with their personalities ( _and everything else from personal tastes, through family and status to coffee they preferred, really_ ) clashing s much as it was only possible, with Annie being dorky, loud, bubbly nerd and Sabrina being mature, reserved and calm young woman, they became friends. They did, though, share love for Starbucks and good book, although Annie was more into fantasy than Sabrina, who preferred thrillers.

But they always threw shit at bad books together. Or bad movies. Or even games, in which, sadly, Sabrina didn't take nearly as much interest as Anna. But she did play Inquisition once, so it was a success. Big one, honestly, as she almost never played those 'big' games that took more that twelve hours to beat. Except for Sims. Sabrina was a damn Sims-addict, mod-making and all.

"Anything new?" Sabrina asked, and Annie shook her head. She was weird enough, she wasn't going to tell people around that she goes to a different world to fuck with it.

"Nah. Except for we're trying new choreo at the gym. School's like school. You?"

"My father still isn't happy with the fact that, instead of being the lawyer, I'm going for architecture, aka the usual," Sabrina giggled. "He would disown me, if only he wasn't certain that my brother will lose all the money and everything once he gets it. I'm also starting to consider programming."

"The usual, you mean," Annie giggled as well, as Koteh gracefully leaped onto the table, demanding attention she was soon given. "And go for programming! We're gonna make a damn awesome game together, when you'll let me do artistic stuff!"

Sabrina laughed slightly louder.

"Starbucks later?" she asked.

"Sure, can't say no to coffee. By the way, how are Duke and Lady?"

"Oh my god, shut up, please. They're shedding. Every day I can make another Husky out of all the fur they lose. It's absolutely **disastrous**."

~•(x)•~

"Inquisitor, you must be cautious for this abomination-!"

 _Oh shit, here we go again_ , Max thought. Cassandra, unfazed by his 'are we really doing this right now, **again** ' look, continued:

"We don't even know where she came from. For all we know…"

"She could be a demon, blah, blah, yes. The same talk for last five days, Cassandra, I have already memorized it," Max cut in. "Do me, and everybody else, a favor and shut up, please? You can confront her about it once she returns."

"You seem to be certain that she'll return," Cullen cut in.

"I don't seem," Max huffed. "I am. Sweet Maker, Solas, make them shut up or something! They won't quit yapping. It's just as if I heard my mother! And stop calling me Inquisitor."

Cassandra sighed and rolled her head, while Cullen just walked away, probably sulking. Max' mind, however, was set; he already kind of decided Annie into his inner circle, whether they liked it or not, and he wasn't changing his mind. Call him stupid if you will, he never was the sharpest tool anyway. But Annie knew things. Could do things. With her next to him, nearly everything seemed not only possible, but within the reach. Even taking Corypheus down; it seemed a realistic goal of all sudden.

He didn't know if she was charismatic, really. But she was just so nice, and optimistic, and cheerful. Light to be seen in those dark times. Childish, a bit, but that was part of the charm.

"Are we there yet?" he asked finally, looking at Solas. Elf just sighed, and grumbled something.

"No. But if we keep up that pace, we should reach Skyhold tomorrow at sunset."

"Good," Max nodded.

"You're waiting for her," Solas noted, eyeing the Inquisitor. "Why?"

"You perhaps don't know, but I have a younger sister, Evelyn. She's a mage – she was sent to Ostwick Circle. But now, after things happened, I don't know if she's even alive. Annie reminds me of her, you see. I'm pretty sure they would make great friends," Maxwell sighed heavily. That was also thruth, the same optimistic aura leaked from the two. "Last time I her was twelve years ago, when she was sent into the Circle. She was six, I was ten. It was a blow. Hard blow."

"I'm sorry," Solas hummed.

"Yeah, I'm too. For her," Max sniffed, shaking his head. He would not cry, not in front of them all. "I miss her. I hope she's okay, I don't think she attended the conclave."

"Let us move," elf said, changing the subject. "The faster we reach the stronghold, the better."

Maxwell had to agree with that. He was tired and sore. Place to call his own would be really nice. Or at least somewhere dry and not-so-cold to rest. Yes, he'd like that.

"Inquisitor," Josephine called, and he stopped, turning around to see her, very unhappy about his title. It was so weird. "There is someone who would like to speak with you," woman says, nodding to her left. Maxwell was found dumbfounded, because before him stoodactual, real, horned, six-and-a-half-foot-tall Qunari woman. He saw Bull, he should've realized their women are quite alike. He was still surprised, though. Shocked even.

"Um, hello?" he says, realizing that his starring is quite rude. "What can I do for you?"

"My name is Herah Adaar," the Qunari spoke, nodding at him to walk forward and not stop the march. By the name alone he realized that she isn't a Qunari-Qunari. Also by her weapon – a staff, with bright, yellow gem at the tip. Qunari mages are not allowed to walk around freely, that he knows quite well.

"Maxwell Trevelyan, but you most likely know this already," he answers politely. She was whole head taller than him. Whole fucking head. She had long, white hair tied in thick, long braid around wrapped her shoulders and brown eyes, and her skin was grayish in hue. Her horns curled down and forward, giving her look of a ram instead of an ox that the Iron Bull sported.

"So I've heard," she nodded. "I'm member of Valo-kas mercenary company. My brother, Karaas, was at the conclave. Seeing only one other Qunari here beside me, I conclude he didn't make it."

"I… I'm sorry for your brother," Maxwell answered truthfully. He thought of Evelyn again, realizing that he could relate with the ram-woman next to him; only, he didn't even know whether his sister lived or not. It was quite unnerving, but he had to remain positive. Evelyn would scold him if he didn't.

"Don't worry," Herah shook her horned head. "We are mercenaries, we are prepared for risk and what comes with it. If not me, then my best friend, or someone from the familly. But that's just how life goes. Nevertheless, I didn't come here to pity over it. I'm here, in fact, to offer your cause my help. Free of charge. Boss – Shokrakar – was against it, but I insisted. Partly for my brother."

"Wh- I- Really?" Max' eyes brightened visibly, as Herah smiled.

"Unless you'll be uncomfortable having a mage ram-woman around," she said, amusement in her voice.

"No! By the Maker, of course not! You're more than welcome!" he nearly yelled, drawing a throaty chuckle from the woman.

"Inquisitor!" Cassandra called from somewhere. "Stop inviting every outstanding individual into the Inquisition!"

"Nope!" Maxwell called back, and turned back to Herah. "I actually need way more cool people if we're taking Coryfucker down."

Cassandra just made that signature disgusted grunt of hers.

~•(x)•~

"Let's go through the list again; phone, check, power-cell, check, sun-charger, check, spare clothes, shit tone of them, food… Much more than I could eat myself for a whole week. Sketchbook, pencils, eraser, aquarelles… Oh, camera!"

"You sure aren't going in unprepared," Dia sighed, rolling her eyes as she levitated over the backpack – so small it shouldn't even really fit the sketchbook. Yet, it was charmed to be able to hold items enough to fill the whole room. And perhaps it did. "So unlike you, Annie."

"You're still cranky because they can't see you, shh," Annie hugged, going through the list over and over again. "I don't need money, or keys, or credit card, or identity card, or driving license. Good, I hate driving. But they might let me to ride a horse! Or better yet, a dracolisk! Or, no. I want a bog unicorn, or something else undead, they're just so cool!"

"You've spent whole yesterday preparing for your… 'Trip'. People think you weird."

"Even more than before? Is that even possible?" Annie snorted, and Dia just let out a sigh. "Koteh, sunshine of mine, we're going."

Koteh rose gracefully from her bed, and glared at her owner with big, emerald-colored eyes. Then she curled up again. Dia snorted, as Annie let out a sigh, walked to the cat and picked her up.

"To the adventure!"

"Just sing already, damnit."

~•(x)•~

"Incoming!" is the only thing that warns Max for what's to come. Or, actually, fall. Because Annie, completely suddenly, exactly as she told, falls onto his shoulders and he nearly falls himself. For someone her size, comparable to elvish even, she was heavy. Max huffed, struggling to stand his ground with girl on his back, as wind carries remnants of the song he didn't even realize sounded.

"Maker's breath, you're heavy!" is the first thing Maxwell gasps once he can, and that draws a barky laugh out of the girl. She isn't even mad about the remark.

"With all the dance classes, self-defense lessons, fitness and occasional weightlifting I do, well, my muscle mass is ought to weigh it's fair share. Can't blame boobs, as I practically don't have them because all that excercise" she admits, hoping off of him quite gracefully. "Sorry, though. I aimed to land next to you, not atop of you."

"Oh. I don't know what half of those activities are, but okay-" girl didn't exactly listen to what Inquisitor had to say, instead pushing a basket into his hands. A meowing basket.

"You're not afraid of or allergic to cats, are you?" she asked. "If you are, I can give her to someone else."

"It's fairy okay, I-"

"You will now tell where are you from and what is your aim, demon," Leliana says the second Annie feels something cold and sharp on her neck. Max makes a move as if he wanted to help, but the girl just sighs.

"I'm from Krakow, Poland, although currently I live in Roseville, Minnesota, USA. You?"

"I'm asking questions here," spymaster inquired, pressing daggers harder to her neck.

"No, hun'. We either talk or we don't talk," Annie said, dangerous flicker of her tone. "I also really don't like your tone, darling."

"You don't understand your position, do you?" Leliana asked, pressing daggers even harder to her neck. "Your life-"

"Exactly. My life. Not yours," Annie hissed, grabbing spymaster's hands with force the woman surely didn't expect, and throwing her over her shoulder. She pressed Leliana face-down to the ground, holding her hand in uncomfortable angle, and pressing the woman even further to the ground with her knee. Spymaster tried to free herself, but grip only tightened. "We either talk, or we don't talk. I would have loved to tell you everything about myself, preferably over warm cup of tea, but now? After you tried to kill me? For absolutely no reason? Ha. And I thought we could be friends, naïve little girl I was," she continued, pretending to be hurt.

"Uh, Annie?" Max started.

"Hm?"

"You realize you just knocked out one of our best rogues, do you not?"

"I'm very much aware of it, yes," she agreed. "But in the world I live, if you don't know how to defend yourself, you're going to have some hard time."

"What do you want?" Leliana hissed, still trying to free herself from the iron grip.

"Someplace warm and dry. And a cup of warm tea would be nice, too," Annie answered cheerfully, letting the woman go, but taking her daggers. "I'm confiscating those in fear of everyone's well-being, as you visibly pose threat to your surroundings. You may have them back when you behave well. To think I would have to reprimand woman basically twice my age, Jashin damn it…"

"I'm not a child!" Leliana argued.

"But you're acting like one. More than I do. It's worrying," girl pouted, putting the daggers into her bag. Instead, she pulled out a box Max instantly recognized, as his eyes lit up. "Want some?"

"Quite obviously I do," he smiled.

"Where's everyone?" Annie asked, completely ignoring Leliana.

"Everyone?"

"Varric, Bull, Dorian, Blackwall… Hell, even Solas will do. You know, the Inner Circle?"

"Somebody asked for me?" elf cut in, appearing out of nowhere, it would seem.

"I did, before I decided to spray Leliana with water like Koteh when she's misbehaving. Making me do that would be really dick move, I tell you," Annie shivered. "Not that I ever really had to spray Koteh with water, she's surprisingly nice for a cat."

"Cookiesssssss," Max hissed, putting his hand into opened box and taking out handful of chocolate-coated treats. "Where do you even get those?"

"In a shop, duh. Like everything else I brought…"

"You have more?!" Max called with his mouth full, and Koteh meowed in protest of her basket shaking. "You have other things?"

"Yeah. Stuff I thought you might like" Annie shrugged. "Both sweet and sour. And some salty stuff, too, albeit it's all high on sugar and other stuff and quite unhealthy. But I guess that's what makes it so good. I love junk food, if you ask me."

"Why would you want to spray Leliana with water, though?" Solas asked, taking a cookie himself.

"Because she was being mean, duh," Annie shrugged. "I kinda hate mean people. They suck."

"And why would you call me 'Wolfy' like you did?" he asked, Suddenly serious. Annie grinned widely.

"You'd rather have me call you the full title-thingy?" she asked, albeit it held no threat, more than a daring, playful note.

"I don't know what are you two talking about," Max cut in. "But if it's about some sort of your secret, Solas, then she most likely knows it. Don't you?"

"You bet, Max. You bet" Annie giggled, and then winked at the elf. Sour-faced as always.

"I have a hunch that you two will be such a trouble together," elf sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Oh, Chuckles, I haven't met Varric yet. Or Bull. Or Dorian," girl grinned, and Solas only rolled his eyes. Yes, definietely a trouble.

~•(x)•~

Varric wouldn't be himself if he hadn't heard the news. And he had, of course he had. Everybody had, from earlier dispute of Cassandra, Cullen and Leliana. Josephine decided to keep quiet on the matter. Topic of their 'talk' that was heard possibly by whole Inquisition anyway. Someone called 'Annie'. He caught a glimpse of her before, when she basically carried Max to the camp. And those idiots wanted to kill her because she looked different. That was beyond even Varric's fiction, okay.

He didn't exactly have anyone to speak to right now. Sera was all over newest addition to the party, the Qunari mage girl, Herah Adaar, whom he hadn't nicknamed yet. Bull was busy laughing about something with his Chargers, Vivienne and Dorian were stubbornly ignoring one another's existences. Blackwall was busy, sitting on one of the carts and carving something. Solas and Cassandra were only Maker knows where at the moment, so it was relatively calm.

Of course, Varric was bored, because calm was boring. So he decided to seek out the Inquisitor ( _was it what everyone's been calling him now_?), but he didn't quite expect the outcome of his search.

She did look otherworldly, okay. Every ounce of otherworldly. Her hair was short, the kind of short warrior women wore, and absolutely unnatural color. Especially since it was two colors – cherry red and the brightest, most fiery orange he's ever seen. She wore blue, torn up pants and gray shirt with some pattern, perhaps something written on. She had red shoes, and red scarf around her neck. She also had a sweater-like cover with her, but it was currently tied around her waist. Short sleeves of her shirt uncovered her hands, lushly tattooed with fancy lines and swirls. Varric doubted it had some deeper meaning other than to look good – and it did.

"So this is this feared creature that chases sleep of Commander Cullen's eyes and makes Seeker Cassandra turn around in fear?" he said with a smug smile, walking over to Inquisitor Max, Solas and Annie. There were many tales about the girl going on and about already. Some said she was a demon, some – yet another Chosen One. Some even said that she knew future, and that her singing bore magic unknown to the world. How poetic.

"Oh my fucking god, it's Varric," what the dwarf knew for sure after seeing her was that, in fact, she was just a young girl, happy to help around. And very happy to see him. "Oh my fucking god, it's really Varric."

"That's me all right," dwarf laughed. "Varric Tethras: rogue, storyteller, and, occasionally, unwelcome tagalong at your service."

"I'm Anna Nykiel, but everybody just calls me Annie," she introduced herself. "And you're the most welcome tagalong ever, really."

"Aw damn, and here I thought I could come up with a nickname," Varric laughed, scratching back of his neck.

"I don't mind," she smiled, flashing her straight, white teeth. Varric took note of her prominent canines. Her smile, nonetheless, was on the nicer side.

"I really should stop being surprised at you knowing everyone," Max remarked, calico cat sprawled on his shoulders, and purring very loudly, basket tugged under his arm, other hand rested on his hip.

"Nah, that's natural, I guess," Annie shrugged. "I do, after all, know your deepest secrets."

"How deep do you knowledge go?" Solas inquired, eyeing the girl, who just grinned widely.

"The less you know, the better you sleep, sunshine," she answered.

"People say you're good at singing," Varric cut in, with every intention of preventing further daring between the two. Annie nodded, albeit slightly reluctantly.

"She does, indeed," Max admitted. "I heard it."

"Care to sing for us then?" dwarf asked, smiling gallantly.

"Ugh, what am I supposed to sing? 'Dawn will come' is literally the only song from your world I know…" Annie sighed, looking away.

"Then sing something from yours," Solas proposed. "I'm quite interested in it, to be honest."

"Of course you are, you Fade nerd," girl snorted, pulling that weird object – phone – from her pocket, and touching it few times. "All right, this one will do, I guess."

"What did you just do?" Varric questioned.

"My world has shit ton of songs. I just looked up lyrics of those I like the most to choose," she shrugged, as if this was the most obvious thing to do. "Although a guitar would be nice. Damn, even lute would do. Whatever. Ahem."

Varric didn't know what a 'guitar' was, but it wasn't hard to realize that it was much different than a lute. Annie, in meantime, started singing.

" _Everybody loves to tell me  
I was born an old soul  
Better keep my eyes wide open  
There's so much that I don't know  
Just another hotel room,  
Never felt so alone  
I think about my grand dad's eyes  
and they always send me home  
I can almost hear him now  
I gotta make him proud,_"

Varrick sucked his breath. Her voice… He could almost touch magic seeping through the sound. And he suddenly felt so much better, like fatigue of last day's way was just a bad dream. Even dull ache of his muscles faded.

" _I keep my eyes wide open,  
Let's this crown unbroken  
I'm about to make my way  
Heaven on me, keep my faith,  
My eyes wide open_!"

Solas was listening. Actually listening, without any distractions, without even his usual sour face. That was new. Varric noticed few people come closer to them, Bull and Chargers among them, as they all listened to magic that just made everything better. Even bards couldn't do that – Annie literally took the fatigue away, not just eased it.

" _I can't see two steps ahead me  
When the fog comes rolling in  
I never thought I'll miss the rain,  
God knows how long it's been  
This dream burns inside of me  
And I can't just let it go  
There's still so much that I don't know,_"

Even Cassandra allowed herself to be relaxed, instead of sporting her usual frown. Now that was an achievement. Annie's eyes glowed unsettling blue, so did her tattoos and otherwise-gray nails.

" _I keep my eyes wide open,  
Let's this crown unbroken  
I'm about to make my way  
Heaven on me, keep my faith,  
My eyes wide open_!"

Varric could've sworn he also heard tune befitting those words. Maybe that was also her magic, making up the musical base for her. Annie herself seemed all to absorbed in the song to even notice. People, on the other hand, started waving to the tune.

" _Oh, I'll always have this moment  
I don't wanna miss a second  
'Cause it could all be gone in an instant  
Yeah, an instant_."

Annie started clapping her hands to the rhythm, and people followed instantly. Varric, too, because why not?

" _I keep my eyes wide open,  
Let's this crown unbroken  
I'm about to make my way  
Heaven on me, keep my faith,  
My eyes wide open!  
I'm about to make my way  
Heaven on me, keep my faith,  
Keep my eyes wide open!_"

Applause was loud. Louder than anticipated, most likely, because Annie was caught completely off-guard, blushing hard and hiding behind Max. Because, holy hell, even Cassandra and Solas were clapping. Not to mention Bull roaring something sounding like 'that was awesome', and few people even whistling. Loudly.

"Shit, next time you ask me to sing, make sure there isn't whole fucking Inquisition around," she hissed, burying her face in Max' back. "Fuck this shit, I'm famous now, am I not?"

"Yep," Max laughed. "Now I'm not alone, thankfully."

"Shit. The only thing I need now is for people to call me some Shit of Andraste like they did to you, poor creature."

"Ugh, I'm apparently an Inquisitor now," Max groaned, and calico beats on his shoulders yawned and meowed. "By the way, who is this?" he pointed at the cat.

"Oh. Her name is Koteh," Annie shrugged.

"This song, it was nice," Solas noted, smiling gently. "Quite different from what bards sing."

"Well, duh," girl snorted. "We're, like, one thousand years into the future if we're to compare. You don't even have gunpowder, save for the Qunari. Not to mention actual firearm…"

"You people have gaatlok?" Iron Bull. Questioned, walking over to the group. Annie gasped, squealed and almost fainted, not quite in such order. It took her a while to regain composure, but once she did, she was all over the Qunari.

"Well, first version ever was called the Black Powder, and was invented in China in ninth century," she answered, jumping around the Bull who appeared to be nearly twice her size. "My world's currently at twenty-first century, so."

"Well, that makes sense, kinda…" Bull sighed, scratching his head.

"Do your world have dwarves?" Varric asked, walking up to the girl, but she shook her head fiercely.

"No other humanoid race confirmed than humans as far as I know," she answered. "No magic whatsoever, either. Although humans are divided by races of their own, told from one another based off of their skin color, face shape and body traits, sometimes."

"World with no magic?" Solas asked. "Interesting. You, however, appear to have it."

"Yeah, but that's a story for an evening in the tavern."

"I'd like to hear more about human races," Bull admitted, nodding his head.

"And I'd like a ride," Annie blurted before she had a chance to speak. Bull looked at her funny, Varric barked out in laughter. Girl puffed her cheeks and held her arms up, jumping in place. "Come on!"

Bull laughed at that, but complied, kneeling down and allowing girl to climb onto his shoulders.

"Weee!" she cheered, taking a firm hold of his horns.

"I'm still waiting for you to tell me about human races," Qunari noted.

"White, yellow, black and, I like to account them, red. White are shit, yellow are smart, black were slaves to white, and red were derived off of their lands by white."

"White people really sound like shit," Varric nodded.

"Yah. White people are quintessence of all that's wrong with mankind," Annie shrugged. "Solas, are we there yet?"

Solas only smiled and pointed forward. There, atop of one of mountains, was a stronghold. Big, with white walls and towers that seemed scratching the sky.

"As I said, we should reach it today by sunset."

~•(x)•~

Skyhold was big. Quite obviously, duh, but it sparked awe in Annie nonetheless. Actually, it got her agape, gazing at everything from her place up on Bull's shoulders. This place was absolutely massive, and fully capable of holding an army within its walls. Suitable for organization that was going to save the world. Twice. If not more.

"You look as if you've gotten the best birthday present ever," Varric snorted from somewhere down there, and Annie giggled.

"Skyhold looks much better live, really," she muttered, supporting her face on her hands, elbows seated firmly on Bull's horns. "Damn, Solas knows his thing."

"Why, thank you," elf chuckled somewhere.

"Max!" Annie yelled, jumping off of Bull's shoulders and sliding on his back.

"What?" Inquisitor asked, looking at her, Koteh still on his shoulders.

"Introduce me to people!" she demanded, crossing her arms on her shoulders.

"Uh… Okay?" he said, and then laughed. "But you're giving me a tour through Skyhold first."

"Okay!" she agreed without a second thought. "Daym, if I actually remember Skyhold before repairs."

"I believe in you," Max snorted, and Annie smiled widely.

"But, wait. Hold up," she started suddenly, holding her hands up. "I saw a Qunari lady earlier today. Who was she?"

"Uh, her name is Herah Adaar, and…"

"Adaar?" Annie's eyes widened in absolute, pure shock.

"Something's wrong?" Max asked.

"People with surnames of Trevelyan, Lavellan, Cadash and Adaar are possible bearers of the Anchor. When one becomes it, other three die at the Conclave, because they're all present there… It makes no sense. Why on Earth…"

"Um, she said her brother died at the Conclave…"

"Of course!" Annie yelled, hitting her head. "I'm so stupid- I should stop suggesting myself with main storyline! This world is real, not a game, so realistic things happen! Shit, I'm so stupid, sorry."

"Uh, okay?" Max said, cocking his head. "But who exactly is Ms. Adaar then?"

"Someone who would most likely be in your shoes, hadn't you got that mark on your hand," Annie explained, as they walked somewhere more secluded, being somewhere under the wall. Solas, Varric and Bull followed, visibly curious at where the conversation is going.

"Uh, explain. Please. Slowly," Max huffed.

"I- Okay. I'll explain it to myself, too" Annie sighed. "There were, which is safe to assume, eight possible bearers of the Anchor. Humans, male Trevelyan aka you, and female Trevelyan, most likely named Evelyn-"

"My sister's name is Evelyn," Max nodded. "She's- Was, mage from Ostwick Circle of Magi. Maker, I hope she's safe."

"If she didn't die at the Conclave, she most likely is," Annie cut in. "Was she there?"

"No. If she was I would meet with her for sure," Max answered.

"Okay. Then, there's possible Lavellan, elven, Inquisitor. Generic names are Ellana or Mahanon. If mage, they're their keeper's first, warrior or rogue is best hunter of the clan. Then dwarf, either Edric or Malika Cadash and, of course, Qunari- Well, actually a Tal-Vashoth, member of Valo-kas mercenary group. Either Herah or Karaas Adaar," Annie explained, and Maxwell nodded at the information.

"Well, she said her brother's name was Kaaras and that he died at the conclave," Max agreed. "So is it safe to assume that other of those… 'Possible Inquisitors', as you called them, will join us?"

"No idea, but knowing that it already happened, I'm not ruling it out for Lavellan and Cadash. And your sister, because, as you say, she wasn't at the conclave. So, she's most likely alive."

"I'm glad to hear that," he sighed with a small smile.

"Your knowledge is slightly unsettling, no offence," Varric noted. "The amount of it."

"None taken," Annie shrugged. "Whatever, who's up for Skyhold Tour? Only this once, free of charge!"

What answered her was Bull's booming laughter and Max' enthusiastic cheer.


	3. Chapter Two

**rubyhardflames -** Polish, indeed. And nah, it's okay, you pointed out a mistake, and that's what I want here, really.

* * *

 **Chapter two, Tour de Skyhold – with first impressions!**

* * *

Skyhold was fucking huge, okay? Okay.

"Shit," Annie cursed under her breath. "If I knew I'd agree for a tour, I would print a map or something. It's gonna be a success of I won't get lost."

"It's not going to be that bad," Bull laughed. "You're the only one who actually has the slightest idea where what might be at all."

"True enough, Bull, true enough," Annie agreed, nodding her head.

That would be a fun ride indeed.

Firstly, they headed to their very right from the entrance, the only place Annie was certain off – the stables. It was needing some work, yes, but after some time it could house quite a lot mounts, it was quite obvious. Annie also decided a stop by the well on the small courtyard, deciding she's tired from all that walking ( _not exactly true_ ) and that she needed to look around and gather her thoughts ( _a bit more true_ ), and that she also wanted to eat ( _totally true_ ).

"So," she started finally, unpacking something she called 'chocolate muffin' before claiming half of the package all for herself. "Here are stables, obviously. Or will be. In that shed there," she nodded and building that was holding up surprisingly well, "you will most likely find Blackwall once we settle, carving stuff and just hanging about. And stables, yesss. I'm already saying that when chance arises, I want a dracolisk. Better yet, if you manage to lay your hands on an undead mount, like Bog Unicorn for example, I want it. It would be also nice to actually learn to ride… Shit, I grew up on a farm and can't ride horse to save my life. On the other hand, we never had any horses. Damn."

"I can teach you," Max volunteered.

"Of course you can," Annie snickered. "As long as I have cookies to bribe you with, you'll do anything for me."

"You know me so well," Inquisitor flashed his teeth.

"Ho, boy, and I haven't started cooking yet," she said, wiggling her eyebrows. "And my mom says I'm decent at it. And when she says you're decent at it, you're damn near perfection."

"Aren't you perhaps exaggerating?" Solas asked.

"Nope. My mom is perfectionist and she'll take no less. One of many reasons for why I decided to move to a country set away my by home country by shit ton of other countries and an ocean. All by myself. At least now she doesn't bug me to clean my room when there's one paper out of place."

"Ocean?" Bull blinked.

"I'll bring a map next time. Or, better yet, a globe" she shrugged. "But yeah, ocean. Technically it's all one big water altogether, but that piece of ocean dividing Europe, a continent where my origin country, Poland lays, and North America, where my current country of residence, United States of America is placed is called Atlantic Ocean. No idea why though."

"That's quite a lot of geography," Varric snorted.

"It is," Annie agreed. "Plus, I've always kinda hated geography and never was good at it."

"To think we don't know what lies outside of Thedas…" Max sighed.

"Don't worry, hun," Annie patted his shoulder. "When our world was your age, we didn't even know that Earth orbits around the sun, not the other way around."

"Oh… Wait. So sun doesn't orbit around us?!"

Annie facepalmed with a loud moan. She completely forgot that they were about ninth-tenth century there. Shit.

"I don't know how accurate knowledge from my world is about your world, but trust me, once I'm done with you, you're all gonna be educated way beyond your fucking times. I swear."

"Who you even are to be this educated?" Bull asked, eyeing her.

"Nobody," she shrugged. "Like, literally, nobody. My family isn't even that rich, they're all just simple farmers, but then come on, how can you not know how to read, write and count?"

"Uh, you can?" Max blinked.

"In my world you're less than pathetic if you can't even that, so," Annie shrugged. "It's, like, aside of talking and walking, the most important thing you learn."

"Your world sound interesting," Solas hummed.

"To you, nerd, to you. But it's really fucked up in fact. But I love it, you know?" Annie sighed. "Polluted air, worst people ever, rat race for money, that rush, and stress, and us slowly killing ourselves. It's reality I grew up in, and the only one I really find myself truly understanding."

~•(x)•~

"So, we're now at the lower courtyard," Annie explained once she decided to move her ass up and reassume her tour. "There, to the left of the gate, is the Inn. I suppose Bull will be there most of the time, with his Chargers."

"You bet we will," Qunari boomed, making girl smile.

"And I suppose a field hospital? A nursery, I guess," she sighed, crossing her arms on her chest and tilting her head. "More useful than idiotic battle ring."

"What's wrong with battle ring?" Max asked.

"Can it heal people?" she asked.

"Well… No?"

"Then you see yourself, Max," she shrugged.

Inquisitor huffed, puffing his cheeks, but said nothing else otherwise. Varric only snickered at him, Solas rolled his eyes and Bull gave a reassuring smile. Annie herself decided that it was time to actually move. She strode forward, and, honestly, couldn't care less about curious gazes of people that had just settled, or were settling, all around the place. Those gazes were more curious than judging, anyway, so she could deal with them. People on Earth had tendency, especially the older ones, to judge people by their outstanding appearance; like her dyed hair, tattoos and piercings. Or lack of feminine features, mind you. That one was infuriating.

"So this is this weird otherworldly visitor I keep unintentionally hearing about?" somebody said suddenly, and Annie's head snapped around. And girl froze.

Because, holy shit, that really was an Adaar Inquisitor. Only less Inquisitor-y than usual. Better yet, it was **her** Inquisitor; the one she always played as unless she wanted to romance Cullen or Dorian. Holy fucking six-and-half foot tall ram-woman mage. Kickass one if, following what Annie usually did in her playthroughs, she'd decide to go Knight-Enchanter specialization. Fuck Vivienne, nobody liked her anyway, especially from the looks they usually had given that pathetic excuse of Maleficent; and because of her awful, awful attitude. She could stand people disliking one another just fine, but openly calling Cole an abomination or demon? That would not stand.

"Annie, I think you might be creeping her," Max noted.

"Oh my fucking god," girl gasped finally. "You are so fucking beautiful and I'm going to hug the fuck out of you," she huffed, pouncing at very surprised Adaar, who caught her with ease nonetheless. Damn ridiculously strong ram-women, it was too good to be true.

But, if Herah Adaar was here, was it possible that her other Inquisitor, Ellana Lavellan, small elven girl wielding sword perhaps even twice her size ( _she really loved Fenris, okay, enough to model her Cullen romance after him… partly_ ) would eventually pop up sometime around? On the other hand she played Qunari boy to get Dorian, and Qunari boy was dead… That meant Adoribull would happen, didn't it? She really hoped it did. Unless Max decided to go for either fabulous mage or awesome ox-man of a Qunari, that is.

"I can basically hear you thinking," Herah Adaar noted, in that American voice of hers. Damn, now up close it sounded much sexier than it had right to sound. Annie was starting to worry what would happen had she meet Krem. Straight make-out session was out of question, wasn't it? She only hoped that her self-control more than her frustration for nor Krem romance to overcome.

"I'm not thinking, I'm plotting. There's a difference," Annie corrected.

"Plotting what?" Varric asked with a smug smile.

"Who to pair with who. Wanna help me scheming?" she chuckled with a wiggle of eyebrows, and Max knew that this was just prelude to more trouble.

"Could you please not plot while using me as a climbing tree?" Herah asked with a grimace.

"Meh," Annie puffed her cheeks. "Fine, but you're helping me tour those derps through their little shed. Go left to the field hospital," she ordered, wrapping her arms around Herah's neck, and thus forcing the Qunari woman to carry her bridal-style. Not like she minded, it would seem, carrying Annie around like she weighted nothing. Max could say he was jealous – he was a warrior and Annie seemed heavy to him, and Herah was a mage, and carried the girl around like she was a cat.

Speaking of which, Koteh jumped off of his arms and set off somewhere herself. And he had no idea where; he just hoped Annie wouldn't mind. And that fuzzball wouldn't get into trouble.

~•(x)•~

"Here be gardens," Annie motioned the 'around' with her free hand, the other clinging to Herah's collar. Qunari was quite amused with girl's antics, to be frank. "Here we can usually meet Mother Giselle and other priests going on and about."

"In this, you are indeed right," Mother Giselle spoke, standing up from one of wild bushes. "I also do believe that with some work and care, this garden will be brought back to its former glory."

"Now, I guess, we should head to the Throne Room…"

"We have Throne Room in Skyhold?!" Max yelled, looking at Annie in shock.

"Yup. You've even got to judge some people in the future."

"Aw shit, that I don't look forward to," man sighed. "But I want to see the throne!"

"But I warn you, the place is still messy as fuck."

"Don't care, I wanna see the throne!"

Annie just sighed with something that sounded awfully like 'and I thought I was childish', and finally let go of Herah, jumping down in order to turn towards the stairs that led up and into the building. They walked there soon enough, and entered the building through the heavy door. It was also worth of mention that, even with help of Bull, door opened quite unwillingly. It was due to give it some oiling, it would seem. And inside, of course, there was absolute mess. Stones and wood alike, laid on the ground in waste – thankfully not rooting due to being closed in dry place, but it was even more than messy nonetheless.

There, before huge and somehow untouched colorful window stood a throne – or what once used to be a throne, now damaged and barely standing. Of course, it had to be changed, but it was there.

"I have a throne!" Max cheered, visibly completely ignoring what state it was in; it **was** there, and that mattered. Max was indeed acting like a happy kid.

"Damn, you tend to act more childishly than me," Annie snorted, looking at him.

"So what?" he asked, puffing his cheeks. "How old are you, anyway?" he asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Twenty-four, why?" Annie answered, looking at him. Max paled, took a deep breath and pointed at her accusingly.

"How come you're actually older than me?!" he yelled, visibly shocking Annie. The Inquisitor… Was younger than her?

"The fuck Max?" she asked. "How old are you, then?"

"Twenty-two. I mean, twenty-one, but I'll be turning twenty-two next month, so…"

"Oh," Annie sighed. "Happy birthday. By the way, where is my cat?"

"…uh…"

"Max…"

~•(x)•~

"She is the light, the warmth, the safety. She gives all, gets nothing in return- Where? Where is my human? The other humans are not pleasant. Not mine. Mean, mean, mean! I will have my human show them their place! My human is better than anyone; because my human is mine."

Annie's head shoot up instantly at the sound of the voice. There, up on the wall, adorned with his very signature, very wide hat, sat Cole, with ball of calico fur on his lap.

"My human is down, below us. I can smell her, sweet and sour, smoke and fresh- Is that how ocean smells? Don't know. Don't need to know. Don't need ocean; it's my human's smell, I need her," spirit gasped breathlessly, looking at her with his white, pale-blue eyes. "Are you her human?"

"It would appear so, yes," Annie answered, smiling gently. It's been a while since she left the 'group' in order to find her troublesome yet lovable cat. "She apparently found you."

"Yes- I, don't worry, I'll come down and-"

"No need, Cole, I'll be right up," she giggled, and suddenly her eyes and tattoos lit up, as her feet left the ground. She rose slowly and steadily, her hair and clothes waving around as if she was underwater, or against wind. Soon she flew to Cole's level and sat beside the boy.

"It's singing!" he gasped. "Cold, but pleasant, like shadow in the sun, like water on the desert. And blue, so blue- And it's singing, I can't recognize the words, but the tune, it'[s soothing… I can't read you. Why can't I read you? Even if they aren't hurt I can read them, even a bit, if I focus!"

"Because I'm not from this world," Annie sighed, glow of magic dimming and leaving her features.

"Are you a spirit from Fade then? Like me?" boy asked.

"No, I'm not," Annie shook her head. "There are worlds other than this one and the Fade, and I can travel to them."

"To all of them?" he asked, his eyes widening. He was such a child. Exceptionally precious one to that. God damn pure Spirits of Compassion, too good for this world.

"It would appear so," Annie shrugged, as Koteh leapt onto her lap and nuzzled her stomach fiercely, demanding attention, which she soon received. "Well, I haven't tried all of them, but some, yeah."

"But…" boy paused for a while. "Your cat is from other world, too. And I can read her!"

"Uh, it might have a bit… A lot to do with my magic?" she sighed. "I don't really know the whole extent of what it does and what it doesn't, except for that I can do much more things when I'm pissed off than when I'm calm," Annie shrugged, and took off her backpack.

"What are you looking for?" Cole asked, eyeing her.

"Stuff," Annie shrugged, pulling out a purple plastic bag. Koteh noticed it instantly and started meowing and pawing at her hand. "Sweet Jashin, kitty, calm down. Do you want something? I have cookies," she asked Cole, taking out small metal bowl.

"I don't eat," boy answered, shaking his head.

"Doesn't mean you can't, does it?" Annie asked. "Sweets are to be eaten for pleasure and joy of doing so."

"I don't eat," boy repeated firmly with a slight frown. "I don't see what purpose would it serve."

"Making me happy because I shared my food with you?" Annie asked, filling metal bowl and then grabbing another pack, this time colorful, and extending her hand to the spirit.

"Sharing makes you happy?" Cole asked, sincerely surprised. "Others don't like to share; _they heard, and hold, and_ -"

"That's called being a nice person," Annie cut into his 'spiritual monologue' firmly. "Nice people like making others happy by being nice and sharing. That makes them happy in return."

"Oh… I- I like to help. Am I a nice person, too?" he asked with so much sincerity that Annie was sure at least a piece of her melted, and she wondered how come that she wasn't 'awww'-ing and cuddling the boy yet. She apparently had much more self-control than she ever thought she had.

"Cole, you're nearly literal ray of sunshine; and that means you're one of the nicest people this world even has. Trust me," she said instead, her voice as serious and sincere as she could only have it to sound. "So, care to indulge me and eat with me?"

"I- Okay. Because I'm nice."

You're the nicest fucking ray of sunshine, you cuddle-ball, Annie thought with a small smile. But then, operation; get on the good side of the literal cinnamon roll that is Cole; Success!

~•(x)•~

Annie stood mortified before a woman that just strode through the main gate. It was mere minutes since she bid her goodbye to Cole for the time being, and straight from the nicest person on the world, she ran into the worst there was.

Vivienne de Fer.

Little hairs on Annie's neck and hands stood up as if electrified; or as if she was a cat, not Koteh laying around her neck in scarf-like manner. Her cat felt it to, and she could more feel then hear her hiss, but a hiss nonetheless. Girl was instantly ready for any kind of fight she was nearly certain she would get into with the 'Arrogant (B)Witch', as she kept calling Vivienne. She always gave her the worst build and almost never used her out of spite alone.

She took one shaky breath, then another, but was unable to cool the fire raging in her veins. She would try to be nice, in the fakest manner possible, but even one word of provocation would cause her to try and mix Vivienne with the mud. She only hoped she could; she was mean, alright, when she wanted to be. Which was most of the time, honestly.

But if the witch didn't notice her, even better.

"My my, they weren't lying."

Vain fucking wishes.

"About what?" Annie asked, doing her absolute best to not to pour all the venom that tasted bad and bitter into the words. She stood in a defensive pose, her legs slightly wider than usual, arms crossed on her chest and her frown all too apparent.

"About yet another abomination among our ranks," she said, looking down on Annie. Annie, little to say about it, very much hated the look. Crushing the witch it is. "And already having Inquisitor around her little finger."

"Oh, please, just admit you're jealous," Annie chuckled, venom floodgates open to the extent that even Vivienne was taken aback about just how toxic lining the words had. "I have Inquisitor on my back and call; while all you can say is that you were whore to some unimportant Duke, and that Empress Celene favors some witch from the forest over you. Poor, poor little Viv."

Annie couldn't help very wide, very feral and even more satisfied grin, as Vivienne's face paled at the remark, only for the colors to return; leading an angered frown. But then, she calmed down.

"I shan't be provoked by a demon," she answered finally.

"Oh, hun," Annie chuckled in the most not-nice manner she could. "I'm not provoking you. I'm retaliating at your provocation. You know, I'm nice, and kind, and I share; thus people love and will love me. You, on the other hand, are the meanest bitch in the world. And then you wonder why everybody just fucks you over in the end?"

"I shan't speak with an abomination any longer-"

"Call Annie an abomination once more, and I swear, Vivienne, you **will** be expelled from the Inquisition," a new voice – familiar voice – cut in. Max stood in rather close distance to the two women, now wearing his canonical Skyhold attire. "And if she's an abomination, then I'm an archdemon, you know?"

"And that's what being nice gives you, Viv," Annie chuckled, pointing at the man. "People are willing to risk things for you."

"Honestly, I don't want Vivienne to become a bloody smear on the wall," Max answered. "And I'm pretty certain you could do that, Annie. And would; you froze and then evaporated grass around you."

"Wh- Oh. Oh, shit, Max, I'm sorry for your grass," Annie chuckled, scratching back of her neck, her anger evaporating like grass a while ago.

"She does things when she's mad, different things, scary things," Cole appeared. "She makes things float, and mirrors break with just being. She is scary when mad; I don't want my human to be mad. I don't want to know what would she do if she was really angry. Too scary, too dangerous, too destructive."

"Great, another abomination," Vivienne grunted, disgusted, and then stormed off, perhaps realizing she was outnumbered.

"I at least know how to fashion, unlike you!" Annie yelled after her, earning yet another scowl.

She not only managed to come out defensive with Vivienne; she also managed to make Max be wary of the witch, and with rather negative attitude towards her, too. Today was a good day.

~•(x)•~

"Holy shit you are absolutely fabulous," was all Annie could say upon laying her eyes on none other, than Dorian. Tevinter mage was much, much better live, if she was to be honest. That fabulous mustache, befitting haircut, silky outfit sparkling in the sun, but in fashionable manner.

"I am, indeed," mage chuckled, looking at the girl. "While your attire is… Interesting, so to say. Thus, I presume you are that otherworldly visitor who saved our poor childish Inquisitor from certain death?"

"That I am," she answered with a smile, showing off her pearly-white canines. (Every thought that brought her back to the dreadful time when she had braces was a nightmare; although it was worth the perfect smile she sported now.) "And you're Dorian, the most fabulous mage to ever grace the Earth."

The man chuckled, and Annie found herself cursing the fact she was born female- But then, no, she wasn't, because Adoribull and other things.

"I have never caught your name, though," he said, and Annie mentally slapped herself. Stupid, stupid, stupid- "But people tend to call you the Voice of Andraste…"

" **What the actual fuck**!" she shrieked so loud that got attention of nearly everyone in the Courtyard. "How- You go, you risk your life, you save their only hope- And they punish you with one of those ridiculous and most un-tasteful titles ever? Voice of Andraste? I'm a fucking atheist, Jashin-damn-it, and to be honest, I've never seen a religious organization that would be dumber and more idiotic than the chantry- And they name me after their own Mary Mother? Jashin-fucking-damn it!"

That little outburst left Annie breathing heavily, as Koteh decided it would be safer to jump off of her for the time being.

"I'm Anna Nykiel by the way, but everyone calls me Annie," she answered finally, which earned a chuckle from Dorian.

"That outburst was rather uncalled for, although fully justified," he said with a small smile.

"That dumb title was rather uncalled for, and completely not justified," Annie growled, embarrassed blush creeping up her neck. There goes the first impression with one of her all-time favorites; but then, it's not like she could stop that outburst. She really should work on her temper.

"It's quite alright," Dorian said, placing his hand atop of her head. Not to mention he was quite a bit taller than her, too. "Woah, your hair is so soft."

"Thank my shampoo," Annie shrugged. Normally, she would bite off hand on whoever would have dared to touch the holy artifact that was her hair, but then it was Dorian- And his hands were nowhere near sweaty.

"Care to share your secrets, then?" he flashed her one of his charming smiles, and Annie found it hard to stand straight. Okay, maybe this first impression wasn't the worst one ever.

"Care, care," she smiled back. "We can have pajama party, do each other's hair, paint our nails and talk about boys all night- How's that sound?"

Altus seemed to be slightly surprised about it, but then his smile widened even more, as he said; "I'd really like that."

Annie's inner child was doing a happy dance right now, and she was glad that nobody else could see it. Very glad.

~•(x)•~

"So, you're the singing one, eh?" Sera asked the very second Annie decided to show up in the gardens again. Blonde elf was currently sitting on a tree, apparently making even more arrows.

"That's me alright," Annie nodded.

"I want you to sing!" Sera chuckled, jumping down, which honestly surprised the girl. She was certain that Sera would absolutely hate her, because magic and stuff. And here she was, actually asking her to sing, while apparently knowing that her voice was thick with magic. "You sang before, eh? You sang, and it was, like, everybody heard it, and they weren't tired anymore. And I want you to sing, something, anything. Your voice is pretty."

"I thought you hated magic?" Annie asked, her hand on Koteh's head as the calico beast purred loudly in appreciation.

"I do, magic is weird, but your voice is different magic, I can feel it. 's not weird like that other magic, 's nice and I like it," Sera walked to her, and Annie sighed. She was barely taller than the elf girl; reassuring. Not. "Bards sing creepy, long, like you were in the Chanty, eh? But you, not, you're singing nice, and it's not boring, and- Oh shut it. Just sing, okay!"

"Uh… Okay?"

Not like she could argue with Sera, she would always counter-argument in her own way. A way with which it was hard to argue. And it's not like she disliked singing, either; but the second she heard somebody talking about Voice of Andraste, she was going to give them hell, she swore in her mind.

" _We are young, we are gold  
Trying things we didn't know  
Looking at the sky, see it come alive  
All our fears became our hopes  
Climbed out every locked window  
All the lines may, fell upon the rain  
We can reach the constellations  
Trust me, all our dreams are breaking._"

Sera smiled widely, rocking left and right in weird yet greaceful something that was perhaps meant to be a dance. She could see priests stop whatever they were doing and listen with smiles on their faces.

" _Oh, No we're never gonna turn to dust,  
Yeah, all we really need is us  
Don't be scared to close your eyes  
No we're never gonna die, we'll be the stars  
Oh, no we're never gonna step too far  
Yeah, we're holding on to who we are  
When it's time to close your eyes  
They will see us in the sky,  
We'll be the stars!  
Oh ooh ooh oh oh  
We'll be the stars!  
Oh ooh ooh oh oh  
We'll be the stars!_"

Annie was sure she saw a glimpse of Dorian leaning against a pillar with a small smile. Somewhere, Varric stood with his shit-eating grin, and Max sat over the edge of the wall, waving his legs in the air.

" _Let me in, hold me close  
Fill my heart with simple notes.  
So when it's hard to see,  
they are there, reminding me  
Take my breath, and hold me high  
So I can feel the city lights glowing under me  
It's in our reach, we're breaking_."

There was Bull and- Oh shit, was it Krem? It had to be, and he was so bloody adorable that Annie nearly forgot her words. Thankfully, Dia, unseen by others, kept whispering her correct words. Annie was thankful; perhaps even more, because making a fool of herself in front of her favorite Charger would not pass.

" _Oh, No we're never gonna turn to dust,  
Yeah, all we really need is us  
Don't be scared to close your eyes  
No we're never gonna die, we'll be the stars  
Oh, no we're never gonna step too far  
Yeah, we're holding on to who we are  
When it's time to close your eyes  
They will see us in the sky,  
We'll be the stars!  
Oh ooh ooh oh oh  
We'll be the stars!  
Oh ooh ooh oh oh  
We'll be the stars!_"

Oh, was it Blackwall? It was, his unmistakable wild beard had appeared out of nowhere like a bloody Pokemon. Well, it looked weird enough to pass as one anyway; not like Annie had something against the pretend-Warden, he was very cool, honestly.

" _We can reach the constellations  
Trust me, all our dreams are breaking._

 _Oh, No we're never gonna turn to dust,  
Yeah, all we really need is us  
Don't be scared to close your eyes  
No we're never gonna die, we'll be the stars  
Oh, no we're never gonna step too far  
Yeah, we're holding on to who we are  
When it's time to close your eyes  
They will see us in the sky,  
We'll be the stars!  
Oh ooh ooh oh oh  
We'll be the stars!  
Oh ooh ooh oh oh  
We'll be the stars!_

 _Oh ooh ooh oh oh  
We'll be the stars!  
Oh ooh ooh oh oh  
We'll be the stars!_"

Even Lady de Fer ( _with all due sarcasm and irony_ ) decided to show up with a frown, pretending to be well-hidden behind a pillar. Very obviously, she was not. Even Bull would do better job hiding, really; but then, he **was** a goddamn spy. Seven-foot-tall, ox-horned, but still a spy.

"Holy balls, your voice really does its own music!" Sera started jumping around, and Annie just sighed with a smile. Honestly, she was fully prepared for ton of hate from the elf, because, well, magic, but since girl decided that she likes her, she wasn't going to do much against it. Annie kind of disliked Sera, really, because she liked playing mages, but meeting her in person was a whole another story. Sera was… Bearable. Nice, Perhaps even cute, in her own dorky way.

Annie should perhaps consider romancing her next playthrough around.

"So, you're that Voice-"

"Thom, no," Annie hissed, raising her hand. She fully ignored his shocked expression. "Dorian already told me, and I already had threw a fuss because of this ridiculous, lame title. Don't make me do that again, please."

"Why 'Thom'?" Sera asked, cocking her head.

"Everybody has a real name, even Blackwall," Annie shrugged. "Your beard is awesome, by the way."

"Yes," Blackwall sighed. "Although I'd rather not have you call me Thom around."

"Carve me a unicorn and you have a deal."

"Fine by me."

"Yay!"

"Somehow I knew you were going to ask for that," Dia sighed, levitating around Annie's head, unseen by anybody except for her and Koteh. Annie just grinned widely.

Today was, indeed, a good day.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three, or Uh… Jinx?**

* * *

Nerd. That was what Solas was. Nerd, and nothing else. 100% of a nerd – and not only about Fade, it would seem. Especially now; because Fen'Harel, the Dread Wolf, kept following her around like a lost puppy, trying to get her to take him to her world. Much to her annoyance.

"Solas, no," Annie sighed, for the nth time already. "I theoretically can, but I won't!"

"Why? If what you say is true, I won't even have my magic there-"

"He would most likely see me, had we went back to our world," Dia said, effectively getting Annie's attention. Blue transparent fairy sat on a branch right next to her. "And, you know, the real secret of your power shouldn't be shared like this. Especially with Fen'Harel, or any assumed deity at all."

"Agreed," Annie huffed under her breath.

"Agreed what?" Solas asked, cocking his head like a curious dog. Damn that wolf-man!

"Don't mind me, I'm plotting with voices in my head," Annie just shrugged with a smile, and then closed her eyes and leaned against the same tree on which Dia sat. They were in garden currently, on the morning of a next day from arriving to Skyhold, and Annie was getting ready to go back on the evening. And Solas just wouldn't leave her side, trying to convince her to take him, too.

"Voices, pfsh," Dia snorted. "But then I wouldn't mind, sharing the secret that is, with someone you know well and know you can trust. You theoretically know them all here, but…"

"On the other hand I don't know them at all, yes," Annie sighed, nodding her head.

"But then, I have this stupid idea…" Dia said, and Annie suddenly bursting out in laughter, deafening rest of the sentence. "What?!"

"Okay, Pooch," girl started, completely ignoring scowl she earned from the mage. "I am willing to take you with me…"

"Really?"

"But only after you somehow manage to befriend me," she continued, her voice stern. "And that might not be easy. I never really liked you that much, you know, you're… Well. You have that stick showed up your ass, you think you're always right, and you're no fun **at all**. And I like fun above everything else."

"Why befriend you?"

"Because I share my secrets only with people I trust, duh," Annie snorted.

"Speaking of trust, Sabrina…" Dia started.

"Ugh, I know, Dia, for fuck's sake, I know!" Annie hissed. "I've been gathering balls enough to tell her for weeks already! It's not going to be easy to tell your best friend that you're dimension-crossing witch and that you talk with otherwise non-existing characters! Without her thinking you're mad, to that."

"To tell what to who?" Solas asked.

"Truth to my best friend back in my world. I, unlike you, have friends."

Well, taking his scowl to account, she hit sensitive area. Like, very sensitive.

"Very funny," elf huffed. "I know how to make friends!"

"Ho? Prove it," Annie dared. "Well, that's your only way into my world nonetheless."

"You'll see," elf huffed, his cheeks reddening from Jashin-knows-what. "You'll see!"

"Can't wait," Annie snorted. Making elven god blush and swear he'll somehow befriend her? She could live with that.

~•(x)•~

"Cullen!"

"Ah! By the Maker, do not scare me like this!" former templar stumbled back to the wall upon seeing Annie, who decided to – very originally – visit him through the window, which made it almost certain to creep up behind him, since his back faced it and he was consumed into tons of paperwork.

"I just came by to say hi," Annie pouted, and Cullen's breathing evened out. He apparently only now realized who he was speaking to.

"How on earth did you get her through the window?" he asked, eyeing her suspiciously, and slightly nervously upon seeing her eerie eyes, now glowing neon-blue. She stood with her back to the sun, so the shadow on her face only strengthened the uneasy feeling of a predator, or a monster, readying itself to strike at any given moment.

"I climbed up," she answered, as if it was most obvious thing in the world. "My magic makes life so much easier, you know? I just made my hands and feet to be able to latch onto stuff and crawled up all the way to your window!" she cheered, rising her hands up in so innocent joy that Cullen couldn't really be mad about it. Especially since her eyes returned to their original, grayish-brown color, and she sat on the windowsill, with her profile to the sun, suddenly looking completely harmless. Honestly, what did Leliana and Cassandra see in her that made them plot about getting rid of the girl? Nearly everybody adored her, even Solas was seen talking to her first, from what he knew. And Solas never talked to anyone unless directly approached.

"What do you want?" Cullen asked, sitting back in his chair; he nearly forgot that he never before meet her personally. But then, thanks to things he heard about her he as well might have. Annie sighed, shuffling in her bag, before taking pair of daggers out.

"Could you give those back to Leliana once I'm gone? And tell her that I hope she learned her lesson, and that I won't have to put her in the corner next time I'm here."

"Why would you want to put her in the corner?" Cullen asked surprised, taking the daggers.

"Because she was mean, duh! I mean, who normal puts a dagger to neck of a person that's willing to help? For free and because they're just so nice?" Annie hissed, crossing her arms on her chest.

"Because we're at war, maybe?" former templar gave a counter-argument. "Morale is… Not exactly high, and suspicion rises…?"

"Pfsh, no excuse!" Annie pouted, crossing her arms on her chest. "My world is constantly at war, too. Especially with whatever Russia is up to now, my home country, Poland, is at the greatest risk because it borders with them. And they do some world-unfriendly things, I tell you. Then, there's ISIS; and with them, you have no idea when a terrorist might pop up and set a bomb off, or just go on a killing spree. It's not a rare occurrence, especially recently. As of late, actually, at least weekly you hear of somebody setting of a bomb, or killing, or attacking with intent to kill."

"Oh," Cullen sighed, suddenly feeling very, very stupid. He just right-off assumed that her world was at peace and didn't bother considering any kind of conflicts. And here it seemed they had it even worse; at war, but not really at war. Where you could get attacked whenever, by anyone.

"But it's okay, it's not like you know about my world," she shrugged. "But Leliana lost her benefit of a doubt, and I actually liked her! Before she threatened to kill me that is, and I'm really mad at her for that."

"Forgive her," man proposed, but Annie just shook her head.

"She has to apologize first, and I don't think that's gonna happen anytime soon," she shrugged. "I dislike mean people a lot, and she was mean. Perhaps even Vivienne's-level mean, and that's an achievement, because that bitch basically screams 'mean' from quite a distance."

Cullen couldn't help a chuckle at that, which made Annie smile. She took her backpack off and put her hands into it once again, taking something out; it looked like a box of some sorts. She opened it with practiced ease, and extended her hand with it towards the former templar.

"Here, have a cookie. Max loves them," she giggled, taking one herself. Cullen, curious, took one. It was made of two brown cookies that were glued together by some white cream. He looked at Annie, questioning. She smiled, and said; "those are chocolate biscuits with creamy cream filling. They're really good."

And as if to confirm, she took another one, and bit into it, consuming about half of the treat at once. Cullen just shrugged and bit into it; and damn, he suddenly understood how she managed to get on Inquisitor's good side. But then, how did that one saying go? ' _The way to man's heart is through his stomach_ '? Yes, sounded about right.

"Next time I'll try to bake something myself, but I'll have to do it at home," Annie sighed. "You people don't have nearly enough kitchen tools for my taste. No cupcake-specific tray. Oh, I know! I can still make pizza on that primitive stove you have!"

"What's a pizza?" Cullen asked, eyeing her.

"It's one of most popular dishes in whole world of mine, and I sincerely doubt there's a person who doesn't know what it is, save for maybe Africa," she answered. "It's, like, this salty dough and stuff atop of it, like tomatoes, cheese, mushrooms and whole load of meat!"

"Well, it sure does sound tasty," Cullen smiled.

"Yeah. But then, I'll have to bring enough ingredients to make it for whole inner circle. Damn, it's gonna be a lot."

"I don't doubt it, Bull, Blackwall and Varric like to eat up," man chuckled, earning an amused sigh.

"Well, nevertheless, bye, Cullen! It was nice talking to you!"

"Not problem. See you soon."

And, just like that, she jumped out of the window.

~•(x)•~

When she reached lower courtyard, she found one of those in-game scenes she hated in passion. Cassandra, Vivienne and Solas; with Max walking down, discussing Cole. Great, it was two to two; with Cassandra and Vivienne apparently uniting in hating both Cole and Annie. Not like she minded, she was used to leading bullies by their noses once she learned how to in middle school. All it took was showing them that you're not afraid; and that you know they're doing it because they feel insecure. Cure few very mean words they couldn't fight against.

Oh, Annie knew how to be mean. She was mean her whole life to everyone but people she liked. And she couldn't say she liked Vivienne; or even Cassandra at this point.

"This thing is not a stray puppy you can make into a pet," Vivienne said, and Annie had to admit her right. Cole wasn't a pet; he was a person. Much more valuable than witch could ever dream to be herself. "It has no business being here."

Oh but he had. Annie bit her lower lip; she had to see how it's going to escalate from there. Only Max seemed to notice both her, and the spiteful glare she kept fixed on Vivienne. He sent Annie a glance that seemed to say 'help me if I fuck it up'. She was going to anyway, so.

"Wouldn't you say the same of an apostate?" Solas argument, and Annie found herself valuing the elf slightly more, if only because he took Cole's side.

"Inquisitor," Cassandra addressed Max once she saw him. "I wondered Cole was perhaps a mage, given his unnatural abilities."

"He can cause people to forget him," Solas sighed. "Or even fail completely to see him. These are not abilities of a Mage. Cole is a spirit."

 _Not all_ , Annie thought. _Not all, darling. But then, it might be because of my otherworldly origin_. _Also, bravo you genius, you discovered America, Solas._

"It is a demon," Vivienne said, and it took quite a lot of self-control to not to blow her up how she stood. And Annie wanted to. Oh how she wanted to; and knowing that she could… No. She wasn't worth it. Vivienne was nothing but self-absorbed, fear-bound little girl pretending to be mean.

"If you prefer," _damn it, Solas!_ "Although the truth is somewhat more complex."

"Cole warned us about Corypheus at Haven," Max cut in, and Annie felt mile creeping onto her lips. "He saved a lot of lives."

"And what will it's help cost? How many lives will this demon later claim?" Vivienne cut in, and Annie felt like all her boundaries snap.

"Just yours," she cut in, suddenly teleporting between them in puff of blue magic, her eyes as eerie as she could make them.

"Speak of one demon, another comes in," Vivienne hissed.

"Maybe," Annie gave her the ugliest, most feral smile she could afford. "But then, others are not as frightened of the world as you are. Pampered princess, always locked within your circle; preferring to be the slave of the chantry instead of dealing with demons."

"Don't listen to it," witch growled.

"Well, I'm going to," Max said, his face stern, arms crossed on his chest. "And if you're too scared to se past some blue glow or some sweet rogue skills, you're more than free to leave. Now."

"Inquisi-"

"Shut up, nobody likes you," Annie hissed, snapping her fingers, and Vivienne suddenly couldn't draw even a single note of sound from her throat. "sadly, it's not permament. It will last only three-four hours. But then, back to actually important matter that is Cole…"

"Well," Solas nodded at Annie. "In fact, his nature is not so easily defined."

"Speak plainly, Solas," Cassandra cut in. "What are we dealing with?"

Annie just sighed; cue canon cut scene, including all the extras. Not that she paid much mind to it.

"Go talk with him," Annie said, elbowing Max gently. He nodded.

"I'll hear what Cole has to say for himself," and then he looked around. "Where is he now?"

"Somewhere around field hospital," girl sighed, nodding towards few crude tents. Boy, indeed, was there, with reason as to why Annie made stop by the courtyard in the first place sprawled around his shoulders. Purring, calico reason.

Koteh, on the other hand, was not amused. It's not like she cared for other people that weren't her human; actually, she had tendency to see them as less. Maybe except for her human's friend, the one who smelled of dogs and was bright and warm like sun. She liked that one. And this boy who was her bed now, he was nice, too. Gentle, calm, like summer evening. A bit weird, yes. But then, her human wasn't, she suspected, exactly normal either.

Boy spoke of death, and Koteh would've snickered if she was capable of it. Everybody dies, even cats know it. Some die of age, some die because somebody else died them. Or killed? Doesn't matter. They die dead, like mice after hunting. And they're not her human, so she doesn't care.

She fails to believe that her human could live shorter than her. Or, more like it, she knows that she will die old. And her human will die older.

Annie sighed, deciding to walk up to them – Max and Cole – as they reached the dying soldier. She knows, that he will die later, in few days, in agony, begging it to stop. And yet, Max stops Cole.

"Can't say I agree," Annie sighed, taking Koteh off Cole's shoulders. "But I'm glad he stays."

"Agree with what?" Max asked, as she knelt before the man, pressing her hand to his temple. Soldier hissed, his breath hitched, but then, suddenly, it evened. "What did you do?"

"Shortened the time he had, but eased the pain heavily in progress," she answered, standing up. Now, at least, he'll die painlessly."

"That," Cole started. "That is helping, too. He can think, in his last moments, he can thank. He remembers his wife; she's waiting for him, there. He can go now, no pain clouds his mind. He's thankful."

"You're going home now?" Max asked, and she nodded. "When will you be back?"

"I don't know, in less than a week. I'll try at least. So, yeah. Bye."

~•(x)•~

She looked at herself and decided that hairdresser is due somewhere around the end of the week. Or sooner. Tomorrow, perhaps. Brown offsets of her natural hair color are starting to make themselves visible, and the cherry-red tune of her hair is getting suspiciously copper-like glimmer to it – sign that her hair dye is also starting to fade into her natural… How was her hair color labeled by specialists again? Something tacky, like 'warm mocha' or 'brown sable'? Unimportant – the most ordinary of ordinary medium bronze, although with copper flicker in the sun. But then, didn't all healthy hair have some fancy metallic flick to them? And she put a lot of work to keep her hair nice and healthy, if only because it looked nice. Also, she decided, instead of bright-orange highlights, she was going for either pale-blonde or white. Preferably white.

Annie snickered suddenly, earning a confused look from herself, and waved her hand. She was going to look like she stole X-Men's Rogue's hairstyle if everything went well, albeit with redder, darker hair. More unnatural. But then, that was the point of dying it.

"Anything new?" she asked herself, and the other Annie shrugged. She had her own personality, even if it was the exact copy of original's, her own point of view. There was two of Annie now, but soon there would be one again.

"See for yourself. Or myself," she teased. "And I'm dying to see what you did with Inquisition dorks, so let's merge and be happy, okay?"

"Sure," original chuckled, raising her hand. Copy smiled, and it said 'whenever you need yourself again', and turned into blue dust, latching itself onto her skin and absorbing itself into her. With every single grind Annie received new feeling, or a piece of memory. Soon, it was done, and she was whole again; with memories from both worlds.

It would seem like they finally nailed the 'No' choreo. Good, she got all the muscle memory as well. 'Astral Drop', it would seem, was useful. Life-Cheating useful. She even made notes while in Uni!

Koteh meowed, confused. Why was there two of her human for a moment?

"Glad to see you got good grip of astral drops soon," Dia hummed. "They're going to be exceptionally useful when you're away. Or, maybe I should say, you will be extremely useful? If I hadn't known better, I could mistake clone for original. It's only different because that other you doesn't have magic," blue fairy said, her wasp-like wings buzzing to keep her in the air. It was exceptionally silent for something her size; she was around a foot tall, and her wings nearly reached the ground when she stood. But no, she was silent like a butterfly.

"Yeah. If I decided to stay longer, people would be worried. Hell, with how often I go they would do it all the same," Annie sighed in agreement.

"What do you plan on doing for the rest of the day?" Dia asked. Annie stopped and patted her chin in thought. That was, in fact, very good question.

"Revise lessons, bother Sabrina and Marcelie a bit, and maybe go into internetz in search for some Naruto porn, if I'm desperate," she answered finally, and Dia moaned in defeat, slapping her small hand over her face.

"Really, girl, get a life that isn't anime and games!" fairy hissed.

"Life without anime and games is so very not worth living," Annie countered. "Trust me, I've been there, I've seen that. Oh, I know! I'll just draw Orochimaru instead!"

"You know what?" Dia said. "Sometimes I wonder why did you choose to travel into Dragon age universe, instead of going into Naruto, if only just to get laid with that pedo-snake."

"Hun', here are more people I'd throw myself onto than just Orochimaru there," Annie snickered with a wink. "And simply choosing one of them would be hell."

Dia just rolled her eyes with a disgruntled noise in answer.

"Oh, I know!" girl said suddenly, and fairy decided that whatever that was, **she** didn't want to know. She would, still, obviously. "I'm going to read self-insert fics for Naruto instead!"

Yep. Definitely not the info she needed.

~•(x)•~

Annie yawned, loud and wide, her eyes still on monitor of her laptop as she seemed almost desperate to not to lose track of blackkat's reverse fanfic. Because holy shit, was blackkat good writer; thigh might just have been one of the best, if not **the** best Naruto fix-it fic ( _and she loved those_ ) Annie has read as of yet. It was delightful, honey for her black, rotten heart.

She sighed, when the newest chapter came to its end, fiction suddenly too short even for its medium worth of four thousand six-hundred words per chapter. There is never enough of good things in life, is there?

Grim, Annie pulled out her phone, searching for a number in her contacts. When finally found, she selected one named ' _My Bae_ ' and started typing a message.

 _2moro, *our* park. Have sth to tell u_

 _When?_

 _When u walk ur dogs_

 _KK._

~•(x)•~

Sabrina would perhaps be amused, if she wasn't so tired. She was fit woman who was no stranger to physical activity, but having two husky dogs was demanding as hell no matter what. And did wonders in keeping her fit, to be honest; dogs wouldn't let her sit down for long, and she would never lock them in a different room, thus they were constantly bothering her. And leaving fur everywhere. Seriously, she brushed them _twice a day_ , and they still were shedding enough to make another husky _daily_. It was ridiculous, but she loved them way too much to even pretend to care about those hindrances. Instead, she just smiled when cleaning all the fur they left. And ran after them, even after breathing became painful, hard and frantic.

Lady was a three-years-old girl she got on her birthday from her mother. She was slim, and so fluffy even Sabrina sometimes thought it was ridiculous. Lady was, also, red. Brownish-red, to be precise, instead of black, with warm, brown eyes and wagging tail.

Duke, on the other hand, five-year-old boy, was as husky-ish, as husky could only get – big, with white and black coat and blue eyes so pale, they seemed white. All in all, he did look like a cold-blooded murderer, with that genetically-caused frown most husky seemed to possess. Sabrina however, did not let herself to be fooled with his appearance; he was, perhaps, the calmest and most patient dog she's ever seen, and she's seen many.

But, of course, not when it came to cats. And now, back to reason to Sabrina's almost-amusement, well. Annie came over, is all. With Koteh, of course, because that cat was almost a piece of her friend's body by now. And was currently sitting on Annie's head, as the girl tried to not to fall down when two husky dogs started jumping around her. Because Annie, no matter how fir, was still rather short and perhaps even lithe, and if one of those dogs barreled into her, she was certain to account a very painful fall.

"Hey," is the first thing after sighing in relief that comes out of Annie's mouth after spotting Sabrina, who would perhaps laugh, hadn't she had problem with catching her breath after running after her dogs. "Mind keeping those two from eating my cat?"

"Duke, Lady!" Sabrina called breathlessly in answer, kneeling down, and dogs were already all over her, licking her face and hands. "Is there anything in particular you wanted? You sounded pretty serious yesterday, when you asked if we could meet."

"Uh, yeah," Annie sighed, scratching back of her neck. "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned, and it's fucking confession time now," she snorted, looking away, and Sabrina knew that Annie was, in fact, just ball of nerves now. They knew each other for four years now, she dared to sat she knows her friend well enough.

"As long as it's not love confession," blonde snorted to ease the tension, because she knows it's not. And even if – Annie did admit that she, in fact, had a crush on her. Long time ago. It was awkward, but in the end served only to tighten their bond.

"Shit, no, last time was embarrassing enough!" redhead shivered at the memory. "But it's serious. And I'm stupid for not telling you earlier, but could we go somewhere more secluded?"

And that really gets Sabrina's attention. Because if that Annie – that loud, absolutely tactless Annie who never, ever cares for what others think about her – asks to go somewhere secluded, the madder suddenly sounds at least ten times as important.

"What is it?" blonde asks after they barely even start walking, unable to contain her curiosity.

"A secret," Annie admits. "A secret I should've let you on long, long time ago, but I didn't have balls enough to do so."

"And now you have?" she asked, tilting her head like a dog. Just like Duke, trotting right beside her.

"No," Annie says abruptly, puffing her cheeks and skin of her face reddens, and Sabrina doesn't even know if it's embarrassment, nervousness or anger. "But I already told you that I have that to tell you, so might as well do and be over with it."

Ah, that's the Annie she knows right there. 'Do it and be done with it' was as close as it got to her life motto, and however lazy, Annie didn't tend to leave things unfinished. Not for longer than a day or two, at least. Except when it came to cleaning. But that was exactly the Annie that Sabrina was proud to call her best friend, with every single oddity and quirk of hers.

They reach a bench by a statue of an angel, majorly grown over with lush vines which were hanging loosely from woman's hands and wings. The pavement is overgrown, too, albeit not so much, and the bench, or a slab of stone serving as it, is thankfully mostly clear, save for its shorter sides. Few people come here, but they do. It's, in fact, where they meet, just two days after Annie started settling in her flat. She decided to go for a stride through the park with Koteh in her arms, two times smaller and fluffier than she was now, just a kitten she recently got, when she found Sabrina in this exact same spot, with one-year-old Duke at her feet and book at her lap.

Sabrina failed to remember the title, but didn't fail to remember that this was the igniting point of their chat, and of how a tattooed and pierced punk with wild hairstyle became best friends with the most classic picture of a good girl next door.

So, they sat on the stone, and Duke and Lady laid down, around the slab. Annie bit side of her lip, playing with her circle piercing around it, and Sabrina tapped her fingers on her knees, drumming a tune. She knew that Annie was no poet, and therefore, if redhead didn't just straight-out blurt the problem, gave her friend a while to find her words.

"It's going to sound batshit crazy," Annie said finally. "But I'm perfectly able to back it up."

"As long as you have an actual, solid proof, I'm able to believe in UFO, or even in God," Sabrina hummed, nodding her head.

"Well, not exactly those. But… Uh. I kinda-sorta-maybe am a witch. Or some magical shit at least."

"You… You're what?" blonde gawked at her friend, electric blue eyes going wide, starring and mortified. Annie's eyes are no longer warm chocolate she's used to – they're blue, like hers, but more… Vibrant, electric, neon, _unsettling, eerie_ , **_creepy_**. Redhead reached down, plucking one of tiny daisies from under her feet, and sighed, as, much to Sabrina's surprise, her tattoos started glowing, too. And then, just like that, the small daisy turned into beautiful white rose with petals sliding into pink in a gentle ombre. Rose's smell suddenly became so strong, that Sabrina has no problem to feel it from where she sits, even if it should be impossible, given by roses' scent fading with every new generation. They're not even near their famous powerful scent so many swooned over.

And then, Annie flickers her wrist, and flower crystalizes of all sudden. A flower made of blue… Glass? Crystal? Ice? Whatever, really. Annie held it to Sabrina, and she, without any further encouragement, touched crystalized petals. And gasps, because they're still soft like velvet. And still smell strongly of sweet freshness that could only be a rose.

Sabrina would write it off as a trick, if she didn't see daisy morphing and then crystalizing with her very own eyes. And she did, without even blinking, and then touched it, and it's so real, too real.

"It's beautiful," she managed to murmur at least. "Can I keep it?"

"Sure," Annie says, blue glow fading and her eyes, once again, a warm chocolate. "Blue always went better with you anyway," she claimed, and snapped her fingers.

"Well, about damn time!" a voice Sabrina didn't know cut in. It was small, and coming from somewhere in between her and Annie, and she looked down- And gasped, jaw hanging open. Because between her and Annie stood what could only be written off as a fairy. Blue, from head to toe, semi-transparent yet somehow solid, but liquid-y, and smirking like a cat who just caught a mouse. Fairy opened her giant, compared to her body, wasp-like wings and flapped them, much more silently than Sabrina thought she would. "I'm Dia, nice to meet you."

"Uh, hello," she manages, before offering a small smile.

"You're taking it much better than I thought you would, seriously," Annie finally says, eyeing Sabrina suspiciously. Blonde smiles wider, still in pleasant way, and snaps fingers herself.

And suddenly, on her shoulder, a yellow shape materializes. It's sleeping, from the look of things, and fluffy. Puffy skirt, a shirt with ribbon on chest, adorned with a pom-pom, short, fluffy hair that immediately brought word 'sheep' to mind, puffy leg-warmers and ballerina shoes, adorned with pom-poms in a way that basically screamed of Tinkerbell.

Behind the form, roughly size of a Barbie doll, flat on Sabrina's shoulders, big and seemingly fluffy, butterfly wings laid outstretched.

Annie found it hard to believe what she seen. Very hard. And very possible.

"Oh my god," Dia whispered. "I fucking knew I felt her around here!"

"Uh… Jinx?" Annie proposed uncertain, and Sabrina only chuckled.

"Yes, I suppose so," she answered. "I also suppose this requires Starbucks."


End file.
